


Bone of Contention

by TheIndianaCrew



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underswap, Controversy, Developing Friendships, Discrimination, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Hatred turned lovers, Humor, Implied kidnapping scene, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Politics, Prejudice Against Monsters (Undertale), Profanity, References to anxiety, Skeletons, There is also a stalker in here, There will also be jerks, Undertale Monsters on the Surface, Waitress - Freeform, be warned, there will be pervs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-02-15 11:16:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 45
Words: 111,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13029891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIndianaCrew/pseuds/TheIndianaCrew
Summary: Humanity is divided over one thing, the monsters reappearance. Some believe they should stay aboveground and others think they should be sent back where they came from. Then, there are those like you who don't know what to think yet. What will happen once you become acquainted with two skeleton brothers? Will you finally decide your standing on this issue and will you find love along the way?





	1. "The Beginning"

Six months, that is the number of months that had passed since the monsters had reappeared aboveground. 

As expected, not every human was thrilled that they showed back up. Some just didn't say anything and some acted upon it trying to send them back before they 'turned savage'. 

And there were those that believed that they had never deserved to be locked down there in the first place, you hadn't really made up your mind yet. Perhaps you were waiting to meet one, or maybe you just didn't want to jump to conclusions. 

Anybody who saw you would probably assume you were a monster hater, and that was understandable because you often went to monster protests with two of your friends, Grace and Audrey. 

They both despised monsters, Grace said it was because one killed her great, great, great grandmother years ago and Audrey just did for no reason. Their opinions had rubbed off on you so you had begun to fear monsters.

You had only seen them from a distance before, you had never interacted with one so it felt somewhat wrong to judge them. But, sometimes it was best to trust what people tell you. For example, if you were told that a wasp could sting you would you let it sting you because you didn't believe the person who explained it, or would you take their word for it? 

Today you, Grace and Audrey were protesting the opening of a monster café called 'Muffet's'. You tried to get out of coming but somehow you got dragged along anyway. 

The crowd was fairly large, there was sixty-seven people there. And that's not including you or your friends. 

Audrey brought a homemade protest sign that said "Monsters are MONSTERS, that's period!" and Grace brought one saying "Our children are in danger and our streets are unsafe!". 

They weren't the only ones with signs. Other people's signs said "Send them back!" and "Down with the monsters!". One even said "Monsters are from the fiery depths of hell!".

"(y\n), I thought we told you to bring a sign!" Audrey complained. 

"Yeah, (y\n), I thought you said you were going to make one!" Grace remarked. 

"I said I might make one," You responded. 

"Come on! Don't be scared to share our message. The monsters need to go as soon as possible!" Grace held her sign up in the air and chanted along with the crowd "Go monsters, go home! Go monsters, go home!" Over and over again. 

"Yeah, c'mon you're such a wimp." Audrey remarked before she joined in with the chanting.

You bit your lip before you sighed and joined in, you chanted the hateful words which filled the air and echoed around you. Audrey and Grace were planning on holding their own protest soon and were trying to get you to help them get the word out.

The hate shown by the people here could cause the segregation of these two races. That just didn't seem right to you. But, monsters still scared you regardless. They could kill you, take your soul and instantly become godlike but that hasn't happened yet. Maybe it was just a myth and it couldn't even happen in the first place. Or, maybe the monsters were too kind to do such a thing. 

A guy wearing a light blue polo shirt and gray camouflage cargo shorts ran out from the crowd and jumped onto a table outside of the café.

"Are we going to stand for this?!" He asked the crowd. 

"No!" Everyone in the crowd except you shouted in response. 

"We can't let these beasts around our families! Who's with me?!" He asked loudly.

The crowd cheered in agreement while you looked down at your (f\c) shoes in silence. 

Suddenly, a spider monster in a fancy suit rolled out of the café with roller skates on.

"Excuse me dearies, but could you get off my property and protest back over there?" She sounded annoyed as she pointed back at the crowd. 

"Hell no, and you can't make me!" The guy standing on the table growled. 

The spider lady rolled her eyes and roller-skated back inside. 

"See! She's too scared to-" He was cut off by a swarm of spiders crawling across the ground. They climbed onto the table and he jumped off as they  approached his feet.  He ran away and hid at the back of the crowd of protesters. 

"Spiders! She tried to attack me with spiders?! Who does that?!" You could hear him exclaim to someone else. 

You looked at your watch, it was two thirty. You said you'd go at three but you could always make up an excuse. What could you say you had this time? A stomach ache, headache, a sore throat? 

Your thoughts were interrupted by countless boos and you turned to see what all the commotion was about. A tall skeleton wearing a bright orange hoodie, green cargo shorts and red sneakers was walking to Muffet's with a smaller skeleton dressed in gray and blue riding on his shoulders. 

"BROTHER? WHO ARE THEY?" He asked as he gestured to the crowd of protesters.

The taller skeleton looked over at the crowd and made eye contact with you.

"they don't believe we belong up here." He replied, his voice had a rasp to it.  

He tore his gaze from you and the crowd in general as he made his way to the door. 

"Hey monster trash! Go back where you came from!" Audrey yelled. 

The tall skeleton froze and his eye socket flared a bright orange. He slowly turned to the crowd. He let out a deep and throaty chuckle, "nope," he grinned and walked inside the café.

"Did you see how he looked at us? I think he wanted to kill us!" Someone from the crowd shouted. 

Murmurs of agreement echoed throughout the crowd of protesters. 

"Come on guys, he didn't actually attack you or anything. He didn't even pose a threat." You said loud enough for everyone to hear in the crowd. 

"I saw the rage on his face!" Audrey argued. 

"Well, you did call him 'monster trash'." You muttered in response. 

"What's up with you, (y\n)? I thought you hated monsters." Grace lifted an eyebrow. 

"First off, I never said I did. I said I am not sure how to feel about them, you guys just interpreted my words that way." You grumbled. 

Everyone in the crowd turned to you and you bit your lip nervously.

"But you have gone to all those protests!" Someone pointed out. 

You scratched your arm uncomfortably. "That is true,"

"I don't support monsters but I don't despise them either... I haven't decided my standpoint on all of this yet." You explained. 

Audrey grabbed your arm and dragged you somewhere more private. 

"What the hell, (y\n)?! You can't make Grace and I look bad like that!" 

"What is your opinion on racism between human races?" You asked her.

"Well we're all humans, they're monsters." She muttered. 

"You treat animals with respect, what's different with monsters?" You put a hand on your hip. 

"Animals are innocent creatures! You can't compare them to monsters." Audrey replied. 

Audrey groaned and facepalmed. Her short brown hair was blowing in the breeze and she looked at you with an annoyed glance. 

"Go home (y\n), go home until you understand what we're fighting for." She pushed past you and walked back towards the crowd. 

You stood there for a second in complete silence. Eventually, you sighed and walked down the sidewalk. You were going home, where you have wanted to be this whole time. 

You felt somewhat guilty for interrupting the protesters but what they were claiming was outrageous. Just because someone glares at you does not mean they're evil and out to kill you. The tall skeleton didn't even say a threatening word to the crowd, even after Audrey called him 'monster trash'. The only people at fault in this instance are the humans. 

You walked down the road until you got to a crosswalk. You looked left, right and left again before you quickly ran across the street. When you reached the other side, you turned and started walking down the familiar street your apartment was on. 

You looked at the cars parked on the sides of the road and sighed. You had to sell your car a year ago since you couldn't afford it anymore. Now you have to use public transportation, well only if Grace or Audrey can't drive you. Something tells you that they won't be driving you anywhere anytime soon though. You were very lucky that your job isn't far away, it was only a ten minute walk or so from your apartment. 

You walked to the steps of the apartment building and put your key in the lock, turning it and opening the door. You lived in an old four story apartment building. Two apartments were on each floor and you were on the third floor. You made your way up three flights of stairs and walked to your door. 

You put the key in the lock and opened it, you stepped inside and looked around at your small apartment. Well, it wasn't terribly small but at times it did feel pretty cramped. But regardless, it was your home and you loved it. 

You shut the door of your apartment and flopped down onto your couch. 

Your mind wandered to the monsters you had spotted today, two skeletons and an anthropomorphic spider. Something that interested you was the vast types of monsters. They didn't seem like humans when it came to races, they all treated each other equally. You respected that feat because not even all humans had been able to do that yet. 

You pulled your phone out of your pocket and saw that you had a missed text from Grace. "Why did you leave?" It read. 

You grumbled, typical Audrey... She never explains things, Grace must think you got mad at them to the point where you left. 

You quickly texted back "Audrey told me to leave until I decided my standpoint on this issue.". 

You waited a few minutes and she replied again, "Oh, well the protest was cut short by the cops...". 

That wasn't the first time one of their protests was put to an abrupt stop. It had happened two weeks ago when the courts granted the monsters equal rights. The protesters all gathered at the courthouse protesting the law that had been put into place. 

You were glad you missed that protest, it sounded crazy. The protesters threatened any monster that got close to them and eventually the police were called. You wondered who called the police on the protesters this time. Perhaps it was that tall skeleton? Or maybe it was the spider lady? It was likely that you'd never know but, it didn't really matter anyway.


	2. "The Waitress"

You put your phone on the coffee table in front of your couch and sat up. You had to go to work soon, you worked as a waitress at a fancy restaurant named 'Harvey's Fine Dining'. 

You had worked there for a year now and you honestly hated it. All the customers there were snobs and your coworkers were all smart alecks. On top of that, your unform was a white dress shirt, a black vest, a black tie and a skirt that went a little above your knees. You hated that stupid outfit. You despised having to get it dry cleaned every single week, in fact you could do a lot with the money that wasted. 

You really wanted to quit that job but, you needed to find another one first. It wouldn't be very smart to quit a job when you were tight on money, but sometimes you just wanted to throw your name tag at your boss and yell 'I quit!'. You have never had the guts though, he'd probably just escort you out himself. Your boss didn't really like you much, you feel as if only hired you because his wife felt sympathy for your poor state. 

Your mom was actually friends with his wife, that is most likely why you got the job. She must've suggested you to her or something. He wasn't even hiring at the time but you still got offered a job.

You walked into your bedroom and quickly put on your uniform. You made your hair and looked at the time. It was three-thirty, you had to be at work by three-fifty. So, you quickly grabbed your small black purse and made your way out of your apartment, down the stairs and outside onto the sidewalk. 

You lived on Clique Street, it was a street lined with older apartment buildings and houses. You hadn't really met many of your neighbors yet, even if you had lived there for quite some time. You had become acquainted with two people that lived in your apartment building and that was all. 

One was an elderly lady named Agatha and the other was a young man named Tyler. Agatha was a sweet lady that lived across from your apartment and Tyler lived on the bottom floor. 

Agatha would always make a habit of bringing you cookies around the holidays, which were always delicious. There were four different flavors she'd bring, chocolate chunk, red velvet cake, snickerdoodles and gingerbread. She'd always ask if you had a favorite flavor but you never could choose, they were all amazing. Though, sometimes you hoped that she'd give you one of the recipes. Specifically the recipe for her snickerdoodles because they were unlike any other cookie you had ever tasted. 

And Tyler barely spoke to you, he was a very introverted guy but he still introduced himself when you moved in. Sometimes you'd pass by his apartment and hear him playing the ukulele. It was very calming and you enjoyed what he played but, he only played music when you were coming home from work late at night. You weren't just going to knock on his door and ask him to play music for you or anything so, you'd just pause by his door and listen. 

You walked until you ended up at a four-way intersection, you pressed the button on the pedestrian crosswalk signal and waited for it to change to a walking person. You looked up at the other side of the crosswalk and saw the two skeletons from earlier standing there. The tall one seemed to recognize you, he was looking directly at you while then shorter one just chatted away. 

The light turned to the 'walking guy' so you made your way to the opposite side of the street. As the taller skeleton passed, you could feel his gaze on you, it never once faltered. 

His glare made you feel uneasy and anxious, did he think you were a bad person? Maybe he had seen you arguing with the protesters or... Maybe he was just judging you for being a protester. 

You walked to the familiar restaurant you worked in and walked inside. 

"Congratulations for not being late again, (y\n)..."

Ah yes, that was Scotty. Your boss's teenage son who was forced to work here. He hated it just as much as you did, he wanted to be an artist but his parents said it wasn't a steady career and that he had to take over Harvey's someday instead. 

You felt bad for him, despite how much of a jerk he was to you at times. 

"Thank you, Scotty." You said through clinched teeth. 

You walked to the back and grabbed your notepad and pen, Harvey's would be opening in five minutes so you leaned against the wall and checked your emails. Nothing really caught your attention, there were a few emails from Pinterest, Pandora and SoundCloud. You put your phone on silent and put it in your locker. Your boss would freak out if you had your phone with you on the job. In fact, he'd fired two people over that exact reason. 

You walked out of the kitchen and went to the entrance to the restaurant. You waited there until a lizard monster wearing a light blue button-up shirt and skinny jeans strolled in. 

"Reservation for Alphys," She spoke. 

She had scratches over her left eye which caused her eyelid to be permanently closed. Her skin was scaly and she had a few scars on her arms.

You looked through the reservation book and spotted her name at the top. 

"Table for two, Miss Alphys?" You asked her, keeping your gaze on the book. 

"Yep, that's right. My date should be here in a moment, I sent her to the bookstore across the street. I wish I could see her cute face looking at all the manga." She chuckled. 

"Of course, your table is this way ma'am." You replied as you grabbed two menus and led her to a table . 

You set the menus on both sides of the table and allowed her to sit. 

"Would you like to order your drink now?" You asked as you pulled the notepad and pen put of your pocket. 

"I can order for the both of us, I'll take water and she'll have some cola." 

You quickly scribbled down their orders and nodded. 

"I'll be back in a moment," You smiled politely and walked to the kitchen to fix the drinks. 

You pulled out two glass cups and filled one with water and the other with cola. You walked back to the table and set them down along with two straws. 

There was now a female fish monster wearing a black dress with white polka dots on it sitting across from Alphys. 

"T-thank you," She told you politely. 

"No problem, are you two ready to order?" 

"Undyne, are you ready?" Alphys asked her date. 

The lady which you presumed was named Undyne shook her head. 

"Give us a few minutes," Alphys replied. 

"Will do," You smiled and walked back to the entrance. 

A young lady was standing there, waiting for service. 

"I'm very sorry for the wait ma'am. We seem to be low on staff tonight." You apologized. 

You might seem calm and collected but you were actually panicking. Scotty was supposed to be waiting customers as well, where did he run off to? He was just here fifteen minutes ago and his dad would kill him if he left in the middle of his shift. 

"That's fine," The woman replied. 

"Reservation for Thompson," She continued. 

You looked down at the reservation book. 

"Ah, here you are. Table for one? Two?" 

"Table for one." She replied. 

"Alright, follow me." You spoke as you led her to a table. 

"Alright Miss Thompson, what would you like to drink today?" You asked as you pulled out your notebook. 

"I'll take a lemonade if that's alright." 

"Of course, let me go get you some." You curtsied and walked back into the kitchen. 

You went to one of the fridges and pulled out a pitcher of freshly made lemonade and poured her a glass. 

You turned around and saw Scotty talking to one of the cooks. 

"Scotty! I need you out there helping me wait tables!" You snapped.

He turned around and sighed, "Do I have to?"

"Yes! Come on!" 

You took his hand and dragged him out of the kitchen. "See there are people waiting to be seated, go!" You gestured to the doors and he walked over to them. 

You walked to the lady's table and set her lemonade down. 

"I'm ready to order," She said as she stared at the menu. 

"Alright, what would you like today ma'am?" You pulled your notepad and pen back out. 

"I'll take a Grilled Chicken Caesar salad." She said as she handed you the menu. 

"Alright, I will let the kitchen know." You smiled and walked to the back, putting the menu down. 

You sighed and quickly walked to the kitchen giving the cooks her order. 

You couldn't wait for work to be over at ten. Tomorrow was Saturday and you had the day off, you were planning on relaxing all day long. You smiled at the thought and went back to work. 

\---------------------------------------------

You ended up waiting tables for a lady named Miz, the Craig family, a young lady named Faelan and many others. 

Today actually wasn't too bad. You only had three bad customers during your entire shift, that was a good thing. You normally get seven 'bad apple' customers a night but, today was an exception. 

The nicest people you waited all night was the monster couple, you thought they were absolutely adorable. They left you quite a generous tip, it was thirty-five dollars in cash. 

It made you feel somewhat guilty that you were protesting monsters earlier today. They had no idea that you didn't exactly support them. If they knew you had been at that protest their tip would be nowhere near as generous. 

Though, you hoped to see them again sometime. They seemed like a fun couple to know, even if they were monsters. 

But did that even matter? They just seemed like a normal couple to you, maybe you should stop labeling them as 'monsters'. 

You walked outside of work and began your trek home. You walked for what seemed like forever when you finally reached your apartment building. 

You were excited for what tomorrow would bring, you were ready to start planning your weekend. You unlocked the door to the building, walked inside and listened to Tyler playing his ukulele. As always, it sounded amazing. You walked up the stairs and when you got to your floor you walked to your door and went inside. 

"Home sweet home," You sighed happily.


	3. "Ebott City Park"

After you got home from work last night, you changed into your pajamas and fell asleep on your couch watching videos on your phone. You slept for a good eight hours before you awoke in the morning. 

You sat up slowly and looked at the time on your phone, it was nine o'clock. You stretched and walked into your small kitchen, you filled up a small pot with water and put it on the stovetop. 

Coffee would be the best thing to kick you into gear, it always helped you get going in the mornings. You walked to your cabinet and pulled out a small baking pan, you placed it on the stovetop and made your way over to your fridge. You opened the freezer side and pulled out a box of frozen waffles, you placed two waffles on the pan and put it in the oven.

You set the oven to three hundred fifty degrees and pulled out a coffee mug. It had a llama wearing sunglasses on it along with the text "I'm a drama-llama". It always made you smile, your best friend Maia, whom moved away a year ago gave it to you as a parting gift. 

You and her still texted frequently, you both missed each other very much and your group of friends isn't the same without her. She had moved away because she had been offered a job working as an animatior with a big company and she would never turn down such a great offer. 

She talked about coming to visit someday and you told her that would be wonderful. You knew that she'd be ashamed of Grace, Audrey and you for going to all those protests so you never mentioned them. She had told you via text her opinions about the monsters, she said that they were normal people that shouldn't be judged by their looks or race.

You got a coffee bag out of your pantry and put it into your mug. You turned around and smiled when you saw the water was boiling, you poured the water into the mug and waited for the coffee to brew. The wonderful smell of coffee filled the air as you got some milk and sugar out. 

The timer on your oven went off so you pulled the waffles out and put them on a plate, you walked with your coffee mug to your couch and sat down to eat breakfast. 

\---------------------------------------------

You walked down the sidewalk, taking notice of your surroundings. You were on your way to the Ebott City Park, your favorite place to relax in the entire city. You were wearing a T-shirt of your favorite band and jean capri pants, you'd prefer this over your work uniform any day. The warm summer air surrounded you and the sun shown a brilliant yellow. 

In the distance you could hear two male voices talking back and forth, one joking and playful and the other annoyed. You tried ignoring the voices but somebody shouted "watch out!" and you stopped dead in your tracks. Your gaze flicked up and you saw the small skeleton from yesterday running towards you at full speed, it seems like he can't stop.

He crashed into you with such force that he knocked you backwards onto the concrete sidewalk. "Oof!" You gasped as the air was knocked out if you.

The small skeleton quickly jumped up, "OH MY STARS, I'M SO SORRY!" 

The taller skeleton that had stared at you yesterday walked over, he must've been the one that told you to 'watch out'. He reached out his hand to help you up and you gladly accepted it. He helped you to your feet and you brushed yourself off. "Thank you," You spoke as you turned to the smaller skeleton who looked very sad. 

"It's alright, there's no need to apologize." You told him with a smile. 

"ARE YOU OKAY?!" He asked you worriedly. 

You nodded in response and you turned to see the taller skeleton again, he was leaning against a tree smoking a cigarette. He was wearing the same outfit that he wore yesterday, wouldn't it be funny if he was like a cartoon character and had multiple pairs of the same clothing? 

The smaller skeleton walked over to him and shook his head in disappointment. "BROTHER, I TOLD YOU TO STOP SMOKING!" He said angrily. 

Unlike his 'brother', the smaller skeleton was wearing a different outfit today. He was wearing a white T-shirt, a blue bandana, loose dark blue pants and bright blue boots. He looked absolutely adorable in that bright blue bandana, it made him look somewhat child-like but he didn't seem to mind. 

"aw c'mon bro, lighten up." He winked at the pun he made and grinned. 

The smaller skeleton stomped his foot on the ground, "BROTHER! YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!" 

You were about to walk off when you heard the small skeleton shout, "WAIT!" 

"sans? what are you..." The taller skeleton spoke before he was interrupted by the smaller one or, 'Sans' you suppose. 

"THERE MUST BE SOMETHING I CAN DO TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU!" He declared. 

"No, it's really fine." You replied with a weak smile. 

"HOW ABOUT YOU COME OVER TO OUR HOUSE FOR TACOS?" He asked with blue stars in his eye sockets. 

You looked over to the taller skeleton, he was shaking his skull back and forth as to say "don't accept his offer". 

Half of you wanted to say yes and the other half wanted you to deny his offer. You knew Grace and Audrey would freak out and get mad at you if you started hanging out with the 'enemy' and you don't even know these guys. Even if they were human you would deny their offer but, the excitement in his eye sockets made you want to agree. Even if there were obvious risks, you felt inclined to say 'yes'. 

You thought for a few seconds and finally decided that you didn't want to break the poor thing's heart. "Sure," You agreed. 

Sans' smiled happily and clapped his small bony hands together. 

"THAT'S GREAT! THIS IS MY PHONE NUMBER, CALL ME SO WE CAN SCHEDULE IT!" He replied excitedly as he handed you small homemade business card. 

It said, "THE MAGNIFICENT SANS, FUTURE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD." Under that was his phone number and a small drawing of a taco. 

"Alright, I will." You agreed.

You noticed out of the corner of your eye that the taller skeleton was watching you closely. You figured that he didn't trust you, that was very understandable though. After all, he had seen you at a monster protest yesterday. 

"OH! I'M SANS BY THE WAY! AND THIS IS MY LAZYBONES BROTHER, PAPYRUS!"

"Well hello Sans and Papyrus, I'm (y\n)." You introduced yourself. 

You looked at the time on your watch. "Well, I have to get going now. I'll catch you guys later." You waved and walked past Sans. 

Papyrus waved slightly as he blew out a puff of smoke and you waved back in response. 

"SEE YOU LATER, (Y\N)!" Sans called after you. 

You walked until you were far from the two brothers and let out a sigh. "Why did I say yes? I don't know them whatsoever and 'Papyrus' keeps looking at me like I'm some kind of criminal." You muttered. 

You tucked Sans' business card in your pocket and quickened your pace, the entrance to the park was in view and you ran to it. 

You smiled as you walked through the entrance and made your way to a tall tree with low branches. You climbed the tree and sat on one of the strongest branches. You had been coming to this park for years, it always helped you relax. 

You leaned back aganist the tree trunk and began to think about things.

Why did you keep running into those two brothers? Why did you accept Sans' invitation? Why did Papyrus always seem like he was judging you? The thoughts swirled around in your mind and you shook your head to clear the thoughts. 

The wind blew through the leaves in the tree and made the branch you were on move slightly. The breeze ruffled through your (h\c) hair and you let out a relaxed sigh. 

You really shouldn't let these skeletons ruin your day off, you could worry about them Monday. That's when you'll call Sans to schedule the time for your taco dinner. As for now, you'd just relax listening to the birdsong above you. 

You let the peaceful nature wash over you, it is a very beautiful day today. The cumulous clouds are floating in the air above you and the breeze moved them across the sky at a calm pace. 

You closed your eyes and sighed, what a wonderful day to be off of work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The character of 'Maia' is representing AlphaMaia who is a really good friend of mine. I would suggest you check out her fanfiction on quotev (MaiatheAlpha) because it is amazing and I'm sure you'll love it. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! <3 -Indiana


	4. "Change of Plans"

Here you were, sitting in a tree eight feet above the ground unable to get the issue about the monsters out of your mind. Every monster you'd met had been very kind thus far, well Papyrus was questionable but he'd say the same about you. 

So far, monsters really didn't seem to pose a threat. Maybe Grace and Audrey were really overreacting? They had done that in the past, yet they weren't the only ones who feared monsters. Thousands of other humans did as well so you don't know which side to be on. 

You looked down at a scratch on your arm that you'd received from being knocked onto the sidewalk and sighed. 

Maybe you'd finally be able to decide your opinion on this issue after you ate tacos with Sans. He seemed innocent enough, though his brother seemed to warn you not to accept. You wondered why, after all Sans looked like a great and prestigious cook. 

He seemed like he liked tacos a lot, judging from the small drawing of the taco on his business card and his excited smile. 

Maybe Papyrus just didn't like tacos? Or maybe you were judging Sans' personality all wrong and he was actually a terrible cook. 

Either way, now that you accepted his offer you couldn't take it back. If you did take it back, Sans would be heartbroken and you'd feel very guilty. 

You shook the thoughts out of your head and let out a sigh, if you couldn't relax you might as well run your errands for the week 

You climbed out of the tree and you were suddenly struck with the realization that Grace or Audrey usually drove you to and from the dry cleaners every week. It wasn't within a walking distance and taxis weren't around here, your only option was to call one of them and apologize about what happened at the protest or take the bus. 

You leaned against the tree trunk and thought for a moment, Audrey would be extremely vain about it but, Grace would be somewhat sympathetic. You decided to call Grace and cross your fingers that she wasn't busy. 

You pulled out your phone and quickly called her, the phone rang a a few seconds before you heard her soft spoken voice utter "Hello?" 

"Hey Grace, this is (y\n) and I was wondering if you can take me by the dry cleaners today." You replied. 

"Oh, hey (y\n)! I'm sorry but Audrey and I are going to see a movie together so I can't take you today." Grace replied. 

"Can you take me tomorrow?" You asked hopefully.

"I should be able to, unless something comes up." She replied. 

"Thanks so much Grace, you're the best!" 

You always preferred Grace over Audrey, Grace was always so kind unlike Audrey who never thought twice about what she said.

"It's no problem, (y\n)! Stay safe, okay?" Grace replied. 

"Same to you, I hope you two enjoy the movie as well!" You cheerfully responded. 

"Thanks, I hope you have a great day! Goodbye." Grace chirped.

"Bye!" You replied as you hung up the phone. 

You slipped your phone back into your pocket, at least you didn't have to hear any of Audrey's impertinent remarks for once. She could always be so brusque and her derogatory comments made you very upset. 

You sighed and walked out of the park, you were headed to the grocery store to get the necessities you needed for the coming week. It wasn't much, maybe ten items or so but you'd much rather be sitting at home browsing the internet. 

You made your way back down the sidewalk towards the grocery store, you kept your gaze straight ahead and made confident strides. After five minutes of walking you reached your destination and walked inside the small neighborhood grocery store. 

You stopped in your tracks and cursed under your breath when you saw they had rearranged the aisles. You wouldn't get home as fast as you'd hoped. 

\--------------------------------------------

You walked back onto the sidewalk with three grocery bags in your hands, you had spent almost an hour and a half finding the items you needed. It was a ten minute walk home and you were already anticipating flopping down on your couch and taking a nap. 

You couldn't wait to get back to your apartment, if you were lucky Mrs. Agatha will have left you some cookies by your door. She doesn't often do that but, it will have made your day if she did. 

You smiled and walked faster, so far your day had not gone as planned but you felt like it was getting better. 

The sun shown even brighter than before and the clouds had disappeared from the sky, it really was a beautiful day.

You turned onto the street that housed your apartment and were greeted by a tall man with spiky blonde hair and a stubbly beard looking you up and down. 

"Heya cutie," He grinned as he walked closer. 

"Hello," You responded flatly as you continued walking to your apartment. 

"You wanna get together sometime?" He chuckled slightly. 

"No," 

 

"Can I have your number?" He asked while jogging beside you. 

"No," You muttered as you turned to the walkway of your apartment building and walked inside. 

You breathed a sigh of relief once you'd locked the door behind you. He may have meant no harm, but the way he'd approached you made you nervous. 

You quickly walked up the stairs to your floor and went over to your door. You smiled when you saw a small plastic container filled with cookies at the foot of your door. Mrs. Agatha had saved the day, you'd have to thank her later. 

You picked up the container and stuffed it in one of the grocery bags, you quickly unlocked the door to your apartment and walked inside. 

Home at last, now you could finally try to relax. Well, after you put the groceries away of course. 

You made your way into the kitchen and set the bags on the counter, you pulled the container of cookies out of the bags and smiled when you saw they were her heavenly snickerdoodles. 

You put them to the side and put away your groceries as fast as possible. Once you were done you washed your hands and eagerly took a cookie out of the container. 

It smelled of cinnamon and sugar and it looked delicious. You took a bite and smiled again. Mrs. Agatha had done it again, she had made the best cookie you'd ever tasted. 

Every time she brought cookies over they tasted even better than the last time. How that was possible, you had no idea. If only she'd give you the recipe so you could have them more often. 

Agatha was such a sweet lady, the landlord even let her keep her pet cat here. Having pets was off limits but Mrs. Agatha was an exception, she has a seal point snowshoe cat who is very curious. The cat wears a space collar that has stars and galaxies on it, it is quite beautiful. 

Your landlord had a soft spot for old lady Agatha, maybe she sends him cookies too. "Maybe they have an agreement where she has to send him cookies to keep her cat." You joked to yourself as you took another bite of the cookie. 

The thoughts about the guy from the street had been pushed from your mind as you walked to your couch and flopped down. 

You made a mental note to go by Agatha's apartment later and thank her for the cookies. Maybe you could gift her something in return? You thought for a second before you looked towards your bedroom. You could draw her something but, you haven't drawn in a while. 

You had given up on art a while back. You never felt like your artwork was good enough so you just set it to the side for years. But, maybe it would be a good time to get back into it. 

You quickly finished the cookie and sprung off the couch, you walked to your room and got a sketchbook and a pencil out. 

You'd try to draw her cat, you hoped that all your skill hadn't gone away. You sighed as you walked back to the couch and turned on some music. Your plans for the day had changed significantly, haven't they?

You flopped down on the couch and put the pencil to the paper as you started making gentle pencil strokes as an outline for the cat. 

You can only hope that this'll turn out well.


	5. "Resentment"

You opened your eyes and removed your sketchpad from your face, apparently you'd fallen asleep at some point last night. You sat up and looked for your pencil, you patted your hand around and checked in the crack between the couch cushions but, it wasn't there. 

You sat up and looked down at the couch, where'd it end up? You checked your pocket and pulled Sans' business card out of it. That wasn't your pencil but, you set it on your coffee table so you wouldn't forget to call him later.

You patted around on your couch for a good five minutes until it fell into your view. Apparently you had tucked it behind your ear last night before you'd fallen asleep. How you'd forgotten that, you have no idea. 

You walked into the kitchen sleepily and looked at the time on the stove, it was nearly five AM. You put a pot of water on the stove and waited for it to reach a boil. You might require a few cups of coffee this morning, you shouldn't have fallen asleep on the couch. 

You walked over to your phone and noticed that it had died at some point last night. You picked it up and walked over to the charger across the room. You plugged it in and walked back into your kitchen. 

You pulled out the mug you had gotten from Maia and placed it onto your counter. You pulled out a coffee bag and placed it in the cup as you waited for the water to boil. 

You tapped your fingers on the counter rhythmically as you waited for what seemed like an eternity before you saw the pot of water reach a boiling point. You turned off the heat and poured the water into your mug carefully. The smell of coffee wafted through the air and you poured yourself a bowl of cereal. 

You put sugar and milk into your coffee and stirred it in, when it was mixed well you walked to the couch and put your mug down on the coffee table. 

Your gaze trailed to Sans' business card and you stared at it for a second. Should you go ahead and call him? Of course not, it's Sunday and most would be sleeping in, not to mention it's only five AM. You said you'd call him Monday but what if he forgot somehow? What if he thought you'd call him immediately? What if his brother thought you'd broken your promise? 

You shook your head, "I'll call him later today," you told yourself. 

You took a bite of your cereal and leaned back against the couch. So far you had to do two things today, call Sans and go to the dry cleaners. Well actually, scratch that. You have to call Sans, go the dry cleaners and finish the drawing for Mrs. Agatha. 

Well, you didn't have to finish the drawing today but you wanted to be able to thank her soon. She had been such a kind lady to make you cookies, she truly was a blessing. 

You finished your bowl of cereal and picked up your mug of coffee, carefully taking a sip. Today seemed like it would be a slow day, not only were you exhausted but you had a feeling you'd have to take the bus to go to the dry cleaners. Oh, how you hated public transportation. You really miss having a car, too bad you can't afford one. 

You finished your coffee and yawned, you walked to your phone and noticed it had powered itself back on. You quickly opened your text messages and clicked on Grace. 

"Hey Grace, can you pick me up today?" You texted her. 

To your surprise it said that she had read your text within a few seconds. 

"About that..." She quickly responded. 

"Grace, please tell me that you can take me. You know how much I hate taking the bus." You wrote back. 

"I forgot that Audrey and I have a protest today, I'm sorry (y\n)." She replied. 

"Can you not skip one protest? Come on Gracie," You texted back. 

"I'm sorry but I can't miss this one, it's really important." 

She can't miss just one protest? You thought you two were friends, don't you matter more than some stupid protest? That's all Grace and Audrey ever do now. They just go to protest after protest. Did you ever really matter? Did they even keep your interests in mind when they dragged you along with them? 

You grumbled and quickly responded, "Fine, I see what you really care about now." 

You set your phone down angrily and walked away from it. You weren't in the mood to talk to your 'friends' anytime soon. 

You picked up your dirty dishes and headed to the kitchen, you put them in the sink and went to take a shower. 

The only other person who could drive you was your neighbor Tyler but, you barely knew the guy. It would be really weird to ask him to drive you places. Plus, you don't even know if you can trust him. 

You mentally prepared yourself to have to take the bus and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind you. 

\---------------------------------------------

You slipped on your (f\c) V-neck T-shirt and some denim shorts, you brushed your hair and looked at yourself in the mirror. You smiled and walked out of the bathroom, maybe taking the bus wouldn't be so bad after all. 

You walked to your bedside table and looked at the clock on it, it was almost seven now. The dry cleaners open at nine so you could always walk to the park first. Or maybe you could just go on a peaceful stroll, either way it would calm your nerves. 

You walked into the living room and grabbed your phone, you had ten unread texts from Grace. She was apologizing, trying to justify what she had said earlier. You were still mad but you felt sympathy for worrying her. 

"It's fine Grace," You replied to her. 

You may have said it was fine but, it wasn't really. You wondered how much you really mattered to Grace and Audrey. You all were really close before the monsters showed up but, their hate got in the way of their friendship with you. You all used to be able to share laughs, watch movies, get ice cream... But that all changed one day. 

Grace and Audrey were closer than ever... And yet you had drifted from them, was that because you didn't feel the same way about monsters? 

Even if that is the case, you have no regrets. They were the ones who had gotten so caught up in their loathing of monsters that they had grown apart from you. You were not at fault here, it wasn't in any way, shape or form your fault. 

Seeing your phone was fully charged, you unplugged it, tucked it in your pocket and grabbed your keys and wallet. 

You walked to the door of your apartment and walked out, you locked the door behind you and rushed down the stairs to the first floor. 

"Excuse me deary, do you know where Blossom Street is?" A female voice asked. 

You looked over to see none other than the spider monster from the café the other day. Does she live here? If so, for how long has she been residing here? 

"Yes ma'am, you take a left down Cherry Street and keep going straight until you reach a crossroad. After that, turn down Magnolia Road and go about 4 miles and than you'll see Blossom Street." You told her with a smile. 

"Thank you very much for your kindness, deary!" She adjusted her glasses and walked to the door. 

"You work at Muffet's right?" You asked her. 

She turned around, "That is correct, I own Muffet's." 

"Oh! Are you Muffet?" 

"Of course deary! Have you heard of me or something?" She asked you with a tilt of her head. 

"Well, I saw the protest that took place at your café the other day... You were so calm and collected." You responded. 

"Well, this bone of contention doesn't seem to have an end to it anytime soon so, I might as well tolerate it as best as I can." She replied. 

"Bone of contention?" You tilted your head in confusion. 

"Oh deary, I'm sorry. It appears I've been around Papyrus too much. A bone of contention is an issue that has continuing disagreement." She explained.

"Well, that just about sums up what's happening." You muttered slightly. 

So she knew this Papyrus character very well? Well, the first time you ever saw him was when he went into her café. But what did she mean by 'I've been around Papyrus too much'? 

"Well thank you again deary! You should come stop by Muffet's sometime, I wouldn't mind giving you a job application while you are there." She smiled politely. 

She turned to walk away again and you quickly stopped her, "I'm sorry, but what would my pay be?" You asked desperately. 

She turned around and looked you up and down, she must have seen how desperate you were because she responded with "Around nine dollars an hour," 

That was above your pay at Harvey's by almost three dollars! It may not seem to be much of an improvement to some but, you were excited to have the possibility of quitting your loathed job. 

Your eyes lit up, "Thank you ma'am! I may have to take you up on your offer." you smiled brightly. 

"I look forward to seeing you... I'm sorry, I never caught your name," 

"Oh! It's (y\n), (y\n) (l\n)." You replied. 

"Well, I look forward to seeing you (y\n). Have a great day deary!" Muffet replied as she walked outside. 

"You too!" You called after her. 

Woah, had that really just happened? You just got a job offer to work somewhere and they'll pay you more than Harvey's ever did. This excited you as you skipped outside of the apartment complex. 

You made your way down the sidewalk and looked around at the green leaves on the trees. Maybe monsters really weren't bad at all, Muffet was kind enough to offer you a job with a high pay even though she just met you. She must really trust you to do something like that, if only she knew you were at that protest the other day. 

Were you taking advantage of the monsters' kindness? Alphys, Undyne, Sans and Muffet had all shown you great deeds of kindness but they hadn't seen you at the protest. Papyrus had though and it was obvious he was very suspicious of you. 

Every day you grow to like monsters even more but, you still feared some of them. However, what was there to fear? Had the tales of concerned citizens really effected you this much? Half of the stuff people say about them are most likely urban legends. 

You felt a hand grip your arm as it pulled you to a stop. "Hey cutie, why'd you run away yesterday?" 

You turned around in surprise to see the guy who had followed you yesterday. You weren't in the mood to deal with him right now but, you couldn't just walk away without saying anything. 

"The name's Austin, why don't you give me your number hun?" He asked. 

"I'm sorry Austin but, I'm not interested," You pulled away from his grip and sternly looked him in the eyes. 

"Aw, c'mon dollface. Live a little, you're too gorgeous for me to just let go."

"I'm not interested." You repeated flatly as you turned and walked away. 

You heard him starting to follow you but soon his footsteps stopped. 

"I'm not going to give up that easily, (y\n)." He growled from the distance. 

His tone made you shiver, you never told him your name. He must've been listening into your conversation with Muffet or perhaps he looked you up somehow. But either way, he really gave you the creeps. You can only hope he'll leave you alone soon and that this won't escalate any further.


	6. "Save the Date"

Austin had made you loose your confidence to go on a walk today, so you decided to walk home the back way. The dry cleaners wouldn't be opening for a few more hours anyway, so you might as well head back home. 

You turned and walked down Bloobideno Road, it was a longer walk this way but you were happy as long as Austin wasn't around. 

How long would he pester you? Would he give up soon? You could only hope so. 

You walked down the concrete pathway, it was in disrepair and should be replaced soon. The concrete was crumbling and falling into the surrounding grass and cracks were present all throughout the concrete. It really looked like it wouldn't last much longer. 

You walked until you reached the rather sketchy alleyway that led to the back of your apartment complex. It was littered with trash and had weeds growing out from cracks in the pavement. 

One of the more interesting pieces of trash you spotted was an abandoned pocky box. Pocky was very rare to find around here, you used to get two boxes a week but when you moved here they got harder to find. 

There was a specialty shop on Oak Street but, that was over an hour away and the food sold there was expensive. A box of pocky cost around eight dollars, which was outrageous considering you used to pay a dollar for each box you purchased. 

You shook your head and walked down the alleyway, it wasn't a long walk until you reached the stairs to your floor. Once you got home you could feel safer, this Austin guy seems very persistent. You already told him 'no' but it seemed like your words didn't matter.

You shivered at the thought of him and walked  towards your apartment faster. You never wanted to see that creep again, though that was unlikely. He'd be seeking you out, he wanted his way with you. But, you wouldn't let him have his way. 

You ran up to the stairs that led to your door and climbed them carefully. It wasn't often you went up this way but, when you did it was always so rickety. The height made you nervous and the metal stairs shook with every step you took. 

When you finally got to the top stair you quickly dashed to your door and swiftly unlocked it. You walked inside and locked the door behind you. Your apartment was your favorite place to be, it was your home after all. 

You used to not spend much time here, the weekends were preoccupied with your friends and the weekdays always required you to go to work. You are somewhat glad that you don't have such busy weekends now, it gives you some time to rest. 

You walked over to your couch and flopped down, you gaze flicked to Sans' business card once again and you decided to call him. You picked it up and dialed the phone number on the card. 

It only rang for a few seconds when you heard Sans' cheery and loud voice answer, "THIS IS THE MAGNIFICENT SANS, WHO AM I SPEAKING WITH?".

"Hello Sans, this is (y\n) from the park yesterday." You responded. 

"OH, HELLO HUMAN! HAVE YOU CALLED ABOUT THE TACOS?" He asked.

"Yeah, when can I come over?"

"TONIGHT!" He chirped. 

"Tonight?! Isn't that kind of quick?" You responded in surprise. 

"MAYBE SO BUT, CAN YOU MAKE IT?" He asked you. 

"Well, it depends... I have some things planned for today and I'm not sure if I'll have to take the bus to get to your house." You responded. 

"WELL PAPYRUS AND I LIVE ON MAGNOLIA ROAD." Sans responded. 

"Oh, that's not that far away. I suppose I could come tonight, what time?" 

"IS SIX AN APPROPRIATE TIME?" He asked. 

You thought for a second, that was getting later in the night but you should still be able to walk home in sunlight. 

"Yeah, that sounds good." You responded. 

"ALRIGHT, WELL I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!" Sans chirped happily. 

"You too," You murmured in response

"I'LL TEXT YOU MY ADDRESS, SEE YOU LATER!" 

He hung up the call and you sat on your couch in silence until you saw he had texted you. Their address was familiar, you used to pass that house almost daily when you took the scenic route to work. It was two story and had a beautiful exterior, you had often wondered what it looked like on the inside. 

You quickly texted back a simple "Thank you," before you picked your art journal back up and continued drawing Mrs. Agatha's cat. 

You had never heard it's name, just her calling "Kitty, kitty!" along with some clicks of her tongue. Once the cat accidentally made it's way into your apartment, when you saw it you nearly had a heart attack. After all, it wasn't a common occurrence for a fluffy animal to jump onto your windowsill.

You continued sketching for around an hour before you looked over to see your phone was ringing. The caller ID said it was none other than Grace, what could she possibly want? You reluctantly answered it and uttered a simple "Hello?".

'Hello (y\n)! I'm really sorry about earlier." She apologized. 

You sighed and replied "It's fine," even though you were still hurt that the protest meant more than you did.

"The protest got cut short by the police again, can Audrey and I still pick you up?" She asked. 

"Actually, yeah. I haven't made my way to the Dry Cleaners yet so that would be great." You responded. 

"Alright! Would you like to go eat with us after that?" She asked politely. 

"I'd love to!" You exclaimed before you remembered you had dinner with Sans.  

"Actually, I need to get back home afterwards. I forgot I had something come up." You sighed as you ran your hand through your hair. 

"Ooh, does (y\n) have a date~?" You heard Audrey joke. 

"Will you slap Audrey please? It's not a date, I just am going to eat dinner at a guy's house since he was super apologetic for knocking me over." 

"That's oddly specific," Grace murmured. 

"Well I can guarantee that's exactly what happened." You muttered in response. 

"What does he look like~?" You heard Audrey chuckle. 

You rolled your eyes and resisted the urge to put an emphasis on Sans being a monster. You didn't want Grace and Audrey to disown you so you might as well make up a description for some random guy. 

"He has brown eyes and brown hair," You replied flatly. 

"I so ship it! What's his name?!" Audrey asked with a laugh. 

"When are you coming to pick me up?" You asked impatiently. 

"Ooh, (y\n) must really like him. She is probably blushing right through her phone~!" Audrey chuckled. 

"Audrey, please leave (y\n) alone. You wouldn't want her teasing you this way." Grace murmured quietly. 

"Fine," You heard Audrey reply in a disappointed tone. 

"We'll be there in ten minutes." Grace chirped. 

"Alright, I'll see you guys then." You replied as you hung up the phone and put your art journal to the side. 

You weren't sure what this afternoon would bring but, you can only hope it will turn out okay. 

\---------------------------------------------

You hopped out of Audrey's car and looked over to see Austin leaning against a tree not far from your apartment. In one hand you held your backpack and in the other you held your now clean clothing.  

It was around three thirty now and you had somewhat enjoyed your time with Grace and Audrey. You all had gone out for ice cream while you waited for your clothes to be cleaned. They even had your favorite flavor there today, it was absolutely delicious. 

Grace and Audrey ended up sharing a bowl of ice cream because 'they were low on money'. You highly doubted that, you were sure something else was going on by Grace's blushing face when Audrey suggested it. 

That would explain why they were so close though, maybe it wasn't just the protests after all. You shut the car door and waved as they drove off. 

Austin noticed this and slowly made his way towards you. With a sigh, you quickly bolted to the door to your apartment building and ran inside. You locked the door and looked out of the window, you saw a very angry Austin looking at the door. He stared it down until he noticed your face in the window, he grinned and blew you a kiss. 

You shrunk back and ran up the stairs to your apartment. You were planning on taking a short nap and then going to Sans' place for tacos. You were somewhat anxious for tonight, what if that starry-eyed skeleton really didn't mean well? What if Papyrus was there? Would he be watching you with a judging glance again? 

You were also wondering how you'd walk to their house with Austin following you. Perhaps you'll have to take the sketchy back alleyway, or maybe just the long route. But that might mean you won't have much time to take a nap, you had really been looking forward to one. But, if he made really good tacos than it was definitely worth the struggle. 

Though Papyrus had told you not to accept... You still wondered if that was because he wanted you to stay away from his brother or, if it was because he can't cook. 

The little skeleton seemed pretty confident with his cooking though, it can't be that bad... Right?


	7. "The Brothers"

You did end up taking that nap you wanted, when you awoke from your slumber you realized you forgot to set an alarm. You reached for your phone in a panic and looked at the time, it was twenty minutes before you had to leave. You quickly sprang up and ran to get ready, you brushed your hair, brushed your teeth, fixed your hair and ran to get your bag. 

You grabbed your phone, keys, wallet and some pepper spray you had remembered you had stashed in your junk drawer and walked to your back door. You opened it and walked down the back stairs. 

As soon as your feet met the asphalt, you began making your trek to Sans' house. It wasn't too bad of a walk, the breeze was nice and cooled down the warm summer evening. 

Your walk ended up being very pleasant, no creeps jogged beside you or flirted with you. It was just you and that was great. Eventually, you made it to Sans' street and walked until you saw his address. Their house was just as gorgeous as you remembered, white siding and a gray shingle roof. It had a painted white porch with wind chimes hanging from a hook on the far corner. Surrounding the house were blue and orange flowers, the colors were bright and vibrant. They made you feel welcome at their doorstep. 

You walked up the stairs to the front door, you stood there in silence. You were too afraid to ring the doorbell or knock on the door. What could possibly happen tonight? You'd try to leave as quickly as possible, no reason to stay a long time anyway. 

You took a deep breath and rung the doorbell, it was only a few seconds before the door began to open. To your surprise it wasn't Sans who opened the door, it was Papyrus. You had never realized how tall he was before, he absolutely towered over you. He once again was wearing the same orange hoodie and the same cargo shorts, did he ever change? 

"heya kiddo, i guess you're here for my bro's tacos?" He asked as he looked down at you. 

"Yeah, that's right." You replied nervously. 

"well, come on in." He replied as he stepped to the side of the door so you could walk past. 

You walked inside and looked around, on a table near the door sat a small fish tank with three goldfish in it. On the left side of the room sat a green couch, a recliner, a few side tables, a TV and a coffee table. On the walls about a dozen framed pictures hung scattered about. They seemed to all be of Sans, Papyrus and their monster friends. 

"You two have a nice place," You remarked. 

"heh, thanks." Papyrus replied as he pulled a toothpick out of his pocket and placed it in his mouth. 

"OH, HELLO HUMAN!" Sans exclaimed as he peeked his skull around the corner. 

"Hello, Sans." You responded with a nod. 

He run over and pulled you into a hug which made you stiffen up in surprise. "THANK YOU FOR COMING!" He exclaimed excitedly. 

He pulled away from the hug, the irises in his eye sockets had stars as he clapped his bony hands together happily. Papyrus let out a throaty chuckle as he chewed on the toothpick in his mouth. 

"It's no problem?" You responded with a hint of surprise in your voice. 

"OH! I THINK I SMELL THE MEAT BURNING.... YOU AND PAPYRUS TALK, I'LL BE IN THE KITCHEN... HAVE FUN!" Sans spoke frantically as he ran into the kitchen. 

You looked over at the tall skeleton and he looked back at you, you could feel the tension between the both of you. He sighed and walked over to the green couch, he flopped down on one side leaving room for you to sit. 

You stood there for a few seconds before you made your way over to the couch and sat down neatly. 

Papyrus was sprawled on the couch lazily, he took the toothpick out of his mouth and thew it into a trashcan across the room. 

"Impressive throw," You commented. 

"heh, thanks kid." He replied. 

An awkward silence filled the air and you awaited the questions he'd ask about you being at the protest but, they didn't seem very imminent. Maybe he'd just forgotten or had gotten over the whole event. You really doubted that though, perhaps he was just waiting for the right moment to strike. If that was the case, when would that moment be? Would he use that knowledge to blackmail you? You could only hope he was being kind and sparing you of any derogatory questions. 

Silence was present for five minutes before it was interrupted by Sans' cheery voice yelling "I DON'T HEAR MUCH TALKING!". 

You heard Papyrus let out a sigh and he looked over to you, "listen kid, i'm gonna warn ya... sans' tacos aren't very good." he whispered. 

"Well, I can't really avoid them, can I?" You replied. 

"it's not like they'll kill you... i think he fixed that mistake in his recipe. that's good, because i don't know what i'd do with another body." 

You looked over at him, mouth gaped open in shock. "He's killed someone?!" 

Papyrus saw the spark of fear in your eyes and chuckled, "i'm just messin' with ya. his tacos aren't deadly and we'll both survive eating them." he rasped. 

You almost let out a sigh of relief, you had been ready to bolt out of their door back onto the street. "Death by Tacos" didn't sound like a very flattering headline in the local newspaper. What if that had happened? That would make Grace and Audrey fight for the monsters to be sent back underground even harder... You actually didn't want that to happen, they deserved to be on the surface just as much as you did. 

"so, where do ya work?" He asked.

"I work at a fancy restaurant called 'Harvey's Fine Dining'. I dislike it though," You replied. 

"oh really? why don't you like it there?" He asked curiously. 

"It doesn't really pay much and I don't like the atmosphere." You responded. 

"Well, that and all my coworkers are conceited smart alecks." You added. 

"i would help ya get a job, but i get the impression ya aren't very fond of us monsters."  He responded blankly. 

Well, you were expecting him to remark about that eventually. At least it was now and not in front of Sans. "Excuse me? What an accusation!" You responded as you folded your arms crossly. 

"listen kid, i saw ya at the protest. i know you realize i did too, we made eye contact, remember?" He responded. 

You sighed, "Alright, sure. I was at that protest but, I was only there because my friends dragged me along."

"i've heard that one before," He muttered to himself. 

You watched as he pulled another toothpick from his pocket and stuck it in his mouth. He adjusted his position and took a deep breath, he looked over at you with an annoyed glance. 

Before he talked anymore about the protest you quickly interjected with an abrupt "What's up with the toothpicks?". 

After you said it, you realized that it sounded quite rude. You were about to apologize and justify your comment when he replied with a simple "i'm not allowed to smoke in the house so, i chew on toothpicks." 

"Wouldn't it be easier just to walk outside and take a smoke break?" You asked with your head tilted to the side in confusion. 

"maybe so but, i'm far too lazy." He chuckled in response as he took the toothpick out of his mouth and grinned. 

"You enjoying the surface?" You asked him. 

"yeah, it's honestly better than i ever could have expected." He responded. 

"Is there anything you miss from the underground?" 

"well, i would say muffet's but she opened a store up here...." He paused for a second, deep in thought. 

"well, maybe the low population. back in the underground i knew everyone by name but here, i couldn't begin to start memorizing everyone." He replied after a few seconds. 

"I can understand where you're coming from, I felt the same way when I moved here " You replied with a sigh. 

"THE TACOS WILL BE READY IN TEN MINUTES!" Sans called from the kitchen excitedly. 

"k bro, we can't wait!" Papyrus called back with a grin. 

"You know Muffet, right?" You asked him. 

"muffet? she's a good friend of mine, why?" He responded. 

"She offered me a job at her store, she seems like a really nice lady." You responded. 

"oddly enough, i was gonna suggest ya to her. looks like she beat me to it though, doesn't it?" Papyrus replied as he put the toothpick back in his mouth. 

"Oh, you were being serious earlier?" You replied in surprise. 

"yeah? why wouldn't i have been?" He looked at you oddly and tilted his head to the side. 

"Well, I kind of look like a racist to you." You responded to him. 

"so? everyone deserves to prove their worth. i believe ya can be a good person." He responded. 

"heh, i guess sans' optimism is rubbing off on me." He snickered. 

"Well, thank you Papyrus." You thanked him. 

"ey, it's no problem kiddo... you gonna accept muffet's offer?" He asked you curiously. 

"It's very likely." You replied. 

"well, if muffet offered you a job she must be very trusting of you. she's never hired any help from anyone other than spiders." Papyrus replied. 

"Really? I don't know why she asked me then. All I did was tell her where a street was." You mumbled. 

"heh, i can guarantee she didn't see you at the protest. she would've never offered you a job if she had." He murmured. 

You frowned, "I don't hate monsters... I really don't, you realize that, right?" 

"i don't know ya very well yet, (y\n)... so, i don't really know what you're like." He replied. 

You felt your heart drop out of your chest, you had thought you two had patched things up. But, apparently he still didn't trust you. Though, you really can't blame him for that. One day you were at a monster protest and not even a week later you sat in the home of a monster getting ready to eat dinner with him. 

"I understand what you mean," You sighed in response. 


	8. "An Unfavorable Meal"

"hey, don't frown kiddo. like i said, i know ya can be a better person." Papyrus replied. 

You shot an angry look at him, "I'm not a bad person, Papyrus!" you snapped. 

He seemed to shrink back at your apparent anger, he grumbled and chewed on his toothpick furiously. "i didn't say that you were on-" 

"Isn't that what 'you can be a better person' suggests?!" You growled. 

"well, it just-"

"It just what?! I'm curious to know what other conclusions you've come to about me." You interrupted him with venom present in your voice.

He looked over at you with an irritated expression, "ya know i didn't mean it that way,"  

"Do I really?!" You grumbled as you narrowed your (e\c) eyes. 

"cripes kid, calm down." Papyrus spoke with a hint of annoyance in his raspy voice.  

You growled, "Why should I?!"

He let out a sigh, "i really didn't mean to offend you, i'm sorry." 

Even if it seemed like one of those fabricated apologies, you accepted it and took a deep breath. "It's okay, I'm sorry for getting angry." You mumbled. 

He shrugged his shoulders and stood up, "excuse me, i'm gonna go outside for a smoke." he spoke as he walked to the trash can and dropped his toothpick into it. 

"NOT SO FAST, BROTHER. DINNER IS READY!" Sans called from the kitchen. 

Papyrus let out a sigh, "can i not just step outside for a few minutes, bro?" 

"NO! UNLESS YOU WANT THE TACOS TO GET COLD. I'M SURE (Y\N) WOULDN'T WANT THAT." Sans replied as he looked around the doorway at his brother. 

Papyrus seemed to stiffen for a second and he let out another sigh, "alright bro, let's eat. i'm sure she's really excited for your tacos." he spoke as he looked at you with a mischievous grin. 

"I BET SHE IS! EVERYONE IS HAPPY WHEN THEY EAT THE MAGNIFICENT SANS' TACOS!" He exclaimed with a grin. 

"well, let's not just taco 'bout them, let's go eat."  Papyrus chuckled. 

"UGH!" Sans remarked as he stomped back into the kitchen. 

You let out a weak giggle which seemed to lighten Papyrus' mood, he looked over at you with a grin and walked into the kitchen. 

You got up and walked into the kitchen, it was painted azure and royal blue. It had some taco décor scattered here and there which seemed to prove your theory about tacos being Sans' favorite food. The little taco decorations he owned were absolutely adorable, some you would even call 'kawaii'.

You felt your gaze land on their dining room table, on it sat three plates of food, two glasses of water and another glass filled with... Honey? What was a glass of honey doing on the table? Honey and tacos? That's a bizarre combo. You just stared at the glass filled with honey for a second and walked over to the table. You sat down in front of a glass of water, rather than the glass of honey and looked down at the soft taco. 

Papyrus sat down to your right and Sans sat to your left, his bright blue irises were filled with stars and excitement. Papyrus reached over for the glass of honey and lifted it to his teeth, he opened his mouth and began to drink it. You looked over at Sans questioningly and he rolled his eyes. 

You shifted your gaze back to the taco, the tortilla it was wrapped in was a pale tan. It didn't look that bad, in fact you aren't that worried to eat it. Maybe Papyrus was just messing with you and his cooking was actually great? But why would he joke about that? That seemed like such a small and odd thing to mess with you about. 

You took your napkin and laid it across your lap to be polite and looked over at the brothers who we looking at you anxiously. Realizing they were waiting for you to take a bite of the taco, you lifted it to your mouth and took a bite. You began to chew and you froze, you felt Sans' gaze on you watching your expressions carefully. The taco tasted... It was actually impossible to process how it tasted. The cheese was very overpowering and it almost tasted like blue cheese. You held back a gag and swallowed the bite, you suppressed a shiver as you looked at him with a fake smile plastered on your lips. 

"It tastes amazing!" You lied. 

"I KNEW YOU'D LIKE THEM! I AM THE BEST CHEF!" He exclaimed happily.

Papyrus gave you a thumbs up and when Sans looked away he made your taco disappear with a small orange poof. He winked at you and leaned back in his seat, he took another sip of honey as he watched Sans begin to devour his taco. 

Papyrus took a few bites of his taco and set it back on the plate, "gee bro, i don't think i can finish it. honey must be really filling." he remarked. 

"PAPYRUS, THIS HAPPENS WAY TOO OFTEN. HONEY ISN'T HEALTHY! YOU MUST EAT THE MAGNIFICENT SANS' HEALTHY AND NUTRITIONAL TACOS! MAYBE THEY'LL EVEN HELP MAKE YOUR HP HIGHER!" Sans declared while beating a fist on the table. 

"i'll try to keep that in mind, bro." Papyrus responded nonchalantly. 

"YOU AREN'T GOING TO DO IT, ARE YOU?" Sans asked with an annoyed expression. 

"probably not," Papyrus responded before he swiftly finished the glass of honey and set it on the table. "more please." He joked which made Sans rage. 

"NO! YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE HONEY TODAY! NOT EVEN FROM MUFFET'S!" He huffed as he puffed his cheeks out in anger. 

You smiled at how cute the smaller skeleton looked, his loose fitting gray T-shirt was complimented by some navy blue sweatpants and bright blue boots. Tied around his neck was the bright blue bandana you'd seen him wear before. Upon closer inspection, the shirt had "Rad Dude" written in all caps on the front. 

"well can i go smoke now, bro?" Papyrus asked his younger brother. 

"ONLY IF YOU LET (Y\N) COME WITH YOU, I HAVE DISHES TO DO ANYWAY." Sans replied reluctantly. 

"Oh, I can help with the dishe-" You started before Sans cut you off. 

"NO, YOU'RE A GUEST SO I WILL NOT MAKE YOU DO ANY WORK." Sans interrupted you.   
   
"You sure? I really don't mind. After all, you made such lovely tacos." You attempted to cajole him. 

"OF COURSE I'M SURE!" He beamed. 

"well kid, come with me i suppose." Papyrus spoke as he sat up from his chair. 

"Oh, alright but I'm gonna have to go soon. I want to walk home in daylight." You responded with a slight sigh. 

"i'm sure Sans could drive ya," Papyrus responded as he made his way to the front door. You got up and followed him as he walked outside. 

He sat down on a chair on their porch and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his hoodie's pocket. He swiftly lit one with a lighter and placed it in his mouth, he offered the box to you but you shook your head. "I don't smoke," You told him flatly. 

"that's respectable," Papyrus responded before he blew out a puff of smoke. 

"So, how can skeletons smoke anyway?" You asked him curiously. 

"magic," Papyrus chuckled. 

"Magic? Is magic actually real?" You asked in surprise. 

"you bet kiddo, how else would the taco disappear from your plate?" He asked as he blew out another puff of smoke. 

'Well, I guess that's a valid point." You murmured quietly. 

All was silent for a few seconds before you turned to the tall skeleton, "Can you show me some magic?" You asked him hopefully. 

He seemed taken aback by your question, it must not be often he gets asked to demonstrate his magical abilities. He was frozen for a second before he nodded. "what do ya wanna see?" He asked you as he held the cigarette between his index and middle phalanges. 

"What can you do?" You asked him as you leaned against a post. 

"bone attacks, karmic retribution, blasters... there are some more but i think i know which to show ya." He responded as he put his cigarette in an ashtray next to him. 

He suddenly straightened himself and with a flick of his wrist his right eye socket glowed a bright orange and his hand emitted an orange aurora. He lifted his hand and you felt a sudden heaviness in your body. You looked down and saw that your soul was now a dark blue. You couldn't move, his magic kept you still and in place. 

He made a pulling motion with his phalanges and you slid to him quickly, he chuckled as he saw your look of surprise. You felt yourself lift off the ground and soon you were face to face with the tall skeleton. He had a grin on his face and he let out another raspy chuckle. 

"believe in magic now, kiddo?" He asked with that same grin. 

"I guess so... This feels weird, can you put me down?" You asked him with a slight blush appearing on your cheeks. 

"sure," He responded as you felt the heaviness leave you and you fell back on your feet. 

"Do all monsters have magic?" You asked him curiously. 

"most do, not all of them though." He responded as he picked his cigarette back up and put it back in his mouth. 

"Does Sans have magic?" You asked. 

"yep, he's pretty good at it too." He replied. 

"Hey, I'm sorry for getting really angry earlier. I just don't like being thought of as a bad person." You apologized. 

Papyrus seemed to lift a 'bone-brow' at your words, "as do i for being a 'savage'." he replied coldly. 

Papyrus had a good point, you had judged him for being a monster. And when he did the same to you about being at the protest, you freaked out and got mad at him. He had been cool, he didn't even snap at you. Perhaps he was just used to it by now. That makes you feel even guiltier though. 

You were about to reply when you were cut off by a mew, you turned to see a small brown cat with distinct black markings padding up the stairs. Papyrus looked down at the small animal walking to him and smiled. He bent down and reached out his hand to the cat. 

"c'mere kitty," He spoke softly. 

The cat looked at you nervously before quickly walking past you and to Papyrus. It jumped into his his arms and he stood up, petting it gently. 

"Who's this?" You asked Papyrus while observing how gentle he was being with the small creature. 

"i dunno, i guess it's a stray." Papyrus responded calmly. 

"she's taken a liking to me," Papyrus added with a chuckle as the cat purred. 

The cat snuggled into his hoodie sleeves happily and purred in delight. The brown cat seemed to like Papyrus a lot, it was kinda cute to see a such a giant befriending such a small and innocent creature. 

"PAPYRUS! ARE YOU STILL SMOKING?" Sans asked as he peeked out the door. 

The cat tensed up in surprise at the sudden voice and turned to see what caused the loud noise. Upon seeing it was just Sans, she relaxed again and snuggled back into Papyrus' hoodie. 

Papyrus still had the cigarette hanging out of his mouth but he bent down and dropped it into the ashtray. "not really," He responded. 

"OH! IT'S STRIPES! HELLO STRIPES!" Sans spoke happily as he walked to the cat and reached up to stroke it. 

The cat purred in response and you watched them with a smile. "Have you thought of taking her in?" You asked the two brothers. 

"she seems happy living out here, i don't think she'd like being cooped up in a house." Papyrus responded. 

"Well, she does seem to be in good health." You replied as you observed the cat.

"PAPYRUS COULD BARELY TAKE CARE OF HIS PET ROCK, I THINK IT'S BEST STRIPES STAYS OUT HERE." Sans remarked. 

"Pet rock?" You asked as you tilted your head in confusion. 

"heh, it's a long story." Papyrus responded with a raspy chuckle. 

You pulled your phone out of your pocket and looked at the time, it was almost eight and time to go. You had more fun than you expected tonight, you would actually enjoy coming back... Only if you helped cook though. 

"Hey guys, I actually gotta go now. It's getting late." You told them. 

"AW, ALREADY?" Sans asked as he looked at you with a sad gaze. 

"Yeah, maybe I can come back soon though!" You told him with a smile. 

His expression brightened and he nodded happily, "I HOPE YOU CAN!" he spoke with a wide smile. 

"yeah kid, i had lots of fun tonight." Papyrus spoke as he looked at you with a warm glance.

"NEED ME TO DRIVE YOU HOME IN MY VERY AMAZING SPORTS CAR?" Sans asked you kindly. 

"No, I'll be good. Thanks for the offer though!" You responded as you turned to walk down the stairs. 

"have a safe walk home kiddo," Papyrus spoke as he continued to pet the cat.

"TEXT ME WHEN YOU GET HOME TOO!" Sans added to his brother's statement. 

"Alright, I will! Bye guys!" You replied as you walked down the stairs. 

"bye, (y\n)." 

"BYE HUMAN!" 

When you got down the stairs you turned and waved goodbye. After that, you turned back around and began your walk home. Hopefully you could get to see them again sometime soon. 


	9. "Stranger Danger"

As you walked, the sun was starting to go down fast. The sunset was a beautiful cloudy pink and orange, it was absolutely gorgeous and you stopped to take a photo with your phone. You aimed it at the perfect area and took a few photos. It looked more spectacular in real life than on your phone but, filters could probably fix that. 

You tucked your phone back into your pocket and resumed walking, it was still a pleasant temperature outside. It was only around seventy-five degrees fahrenheit, which was pretty good for a summer night. 

The clouds were starting to close in and you could hear some thunder crack in the distance. The wind also picked up and blew your hair around. You had forgotten that it was going to storm tonight. You'd better go home the quick way, which is the route Austin knows about. Hopefully he wouldn't be there, not many would be out tonight if something were to happen. 

So, you quickly walked home as the storm approached. You regretted not bringing an umbrella, that would probably be very helpful in this situation. 

You put your hands in your pockets and trudged forwards, you looked up at the street as you walked and noticed that it wasn't very busy. Only a few cars passed every five minutes, and that was unusual for this time of day. 

It was around fifteen minutes into your walk when a blue car pulled up to the curb beside you, you stopped walking and looked over at it worriedly. Only bad thoughts were going through your mind. What could the person want? Who was it? Were they planning on kidnapping you? 

Slowly the window unrolled and you moved back from the car a bit. Sitting inside on the driver's side was none of than Austin, of course he'd find you right now. 

"Oh, joy." You muttered under your breath. 

You quickly reached your hand into your bag and pulled out the pepper spray, holding it in your hand carefully as you looked into the car. 

"Heya angel, you don't wanna get your wings wet do you? A storm's approaching and I can drive you to your apartment." He offered with a grin.

"No thank you, I'm fine." You replied flatly as you started walking again. 

To your dismay, instead of driving off Austin just followed beside you at the same speed as your walking. "Aw, come on cutie. Let me drive ya." He spoke. 

"Take care," You growled in response as you walked faster. 

"What? I'm not giving up that fast." He declared as he matched your pace. 

"How about you come to my house? It's not that far away." He spoke with a slight chuckle. 

"Hell no! I'm not going to get in your car, or go to your house, leave me alone!" You snapped. 

"Ooh, I do love a feisty gal." He chuckled. 

You quickly turned to Austin and flipped him off, you knew it was wrong, but it felt so right. He seemed taken aback by your sudden action and followed you faster. "Come on, (y\n)! Just come with me this once and I'll leave you alone." He promised. 

"I will never go anywhere with you, ever!" You hissed. 

"Come on baby, the rain is just a few blocks away." He replied flatly. 

"I won't say it again, no!" You replied before quickly running away. 

"W-what? I'm not giving up yet!" He growled as he suddenly put his foot on the accelerator and sped after you. 

His tires screeched against the pavement as he went down the road quickly until he slammed on the breaks, stopping beside you at a crosswalk. "You can't run away from me that easily," He grumbled. 

The crosswalk went off and you jogged across the pavement to the other side. Austin was about to speed after you when suddenly a siren sounded behind him, he turned around to see a police car with its lights on behind him. 

He'd been caught for speeding, huh? Suits him right, he deserves it. You could go over to the police officer and tell him Austin's been harassing you but, maybe getting a ticket will be a good enough lesson. Maybe he'll even stop bothering you after this incident. 

You smiled and made your way down the street again, you were very happy that the police stopped him. Who knows, maybe he got stopped for another reason too. What if he had some terrible criminal background and he was on the run? It'd be terrible if some creep who escaped from prison was stalking you. 

You pushed the thought aside and walked until you got to your apartment building, once you were there you dashed to the door, unlocked it and went inside. 

You looked over to Tyler's door and saw that he was leaning against it, he had his ukulele in one hand and his phone in the other. "Come on Josh, pick up..." He muttered to himself. 

He nearly jumped into the air when he looked up to see you looking over at him. "O-oh! (y\n), long time no see!" He spoke as he quickly hung up his phone, putting it in his pocket clumsily. 

"I didn't mean to frighten you, I'm sorry." You apologized. 

"It's alright, I was just trying to get a hold of a friend of mine." He said nervously as he scratched the back of his head. 

"Hey, I uh... I like what you play." You told him with a smile as you gestured to his ukulele. 

"Oh, you've heard me play?" He asked as he tilted his head to the side somewhat. 

"When I come home from work at night I like pausing by your door to hear the music... I know that sounds kind of creepy but, I mean no harm." You confessed. 

"Oh well uh... Thanks, I guess." He responded with a slight smile. 

"You play any other instruments?" You asked him curiously. 

"Uh, I play the keyboard and I sing." He responded shyly. 

"That's cool! Do you play anywhere?" You asked him curiously. 

"Well, I'm actually in a band called twent-" He started to say before he was cut off by his phone ringing. 

"I'm sorry, I need to take this." He sighed. 

"It's alright, I needed to get to my apartment anyway," You responded with a reassuring smile before you turned and headed up the stairs. 

"Have a good night!" You spoke cheerily as you jogged up the stairs. 

"You too," You heard Tyler respond. 

Once you finally reached your floor, you walked to your apartment and went inside. You flopped down on your couch with a sigh and suddenly, you heard the rain begin to come down heavily. The thunder boomed in the distance and you closed your eyes. Tomorrow you had work, but that wasn't until the evening... Maybe you'd go to Muffet's and fill out a job application in the morning. 

That seemed like a good idea, then tomorrow night you could finally quit your loathed job. Your hours would change drastically though, Harvey's opened in the evening whereas Muffet's, like any other café opened early in the morning. You were ready to make the adjustment though, the pay was worth whatever sleep you lost. 

You opened your eyes and stood up, you walked into your kitchen and got one of Mrs. Agatha's cookies out of the bag and took a bite. The delicious flavor made you smile and you laughed thinking about your dinner you had tonight. It was nice of Papyrus not to make you eat that dreadful taco, you're not sure if you could anyway. You probably couldn't get more than two bites down before you had to run to their bathroom. That'd be embarrassing, so you were extra thankful for Papyrus' actions. 

You took a few more bites of the cookie and yawned, perhaps you should sleep somewhat early tonight. That seemed best, you had a busy day today and you were exhausted. You hadn't seen Austin once, but twice in the same day. That, was a tragedy by itself. Hopefully he'll eventually leave you alone. You are getting quite tired of his remarks after all. 

\---------------------------------------------

Your alarm went off with a loud beeping which caused you to sit up almost immediately. You yawned and rubbed your eyes, you forced yourself to get out of bed and stumbled into your bathroom. You looked at yourself in the mirror and attempted to fix your messy (h\c) hair, but it was no use. 

You yawned again and stepped into the shower, you took a quick shower and when you got out, you changed into a pair of blue jean shorts, a black tank and a purple, white and black plaid button up shirt that was unbuttoned to show the tank underneath it. 

You rolled the sleeves up to be half-sleeves and fixed the collar on the shirt carefully. You grabbed your hairbrush and hairdryer and began to fix your hair, you dried it quickly and brushed it during the process. 

You stood back and looked at yourself in the mirror, happy with the results, you brushed your teeth and walked into the kitchen. You grabbed a granola bar, stuffed it into your bag and packed a water bottle as well. 

There was no reason to eat at home, you were going to Muffet's after all. You could get some coffee and a donut while you were there. You wondered if Papyrus would be there, or any familiar faces... Like the nice monster couple that you met a few nights ago. It'd be nice to see them again, you feel like you should thank them for the generous tip they gave you at Harvey's the other night. 

You stuffed your keys, phone, wallet, pepper spay and sunglasses into your bag and walked out the door of your apartment. You walked down the stairs and once you made it to the bottom floor, you went outside and started walking to Muffet's. 

Thanks to that stupid protest, you knew exactly where her café is in the city. It is on the corner of Walker Street, that was around seven minutes from Clique Street, the street you lived on. 

You suspected it to be nice walk, it wasn't too hot outside yet after all. You hoped Muffet still wanted you as an employee, it'd be really disappointing if she had changed her mind. Something told you that if she was going to do that, Papyrus would attempt to help you get the job anyway. For some reason, he really seemed to want you to work here... Maybe that was because it was a frequent for monsters and he wanted you to like his species, or maybe... He visited the café frequently and wanted to see you? 

No, that was impossible. It was definitely the former, why would he want to see you? If anything, he'd only want to see you to make sure you weren't being unfair to the monsters. 

But, you wanted him to trust you. So, you'd try your best to gain his trust completely. No matter how long it took, you were up for the difficult task.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this may be out of place but I've been writing this story since April and I have it on three other sites now. Deviantart, Quotev and Wattpad. I am currently adding it to this site so if you notice a clump of updates all being added at once, that's why. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause!


	10. "Muffet's"

You made your way down the sidewalk and watched as the traffic went by, car by car it got busier and busier. The chanting of a nearby protest echoed throughout the city and you let out a sigh. Why haven't you been able to choose whether your a supporter or a hater of the monsters yet? 

It seems like such a small thing, but in reality, it isn't. It's a present issue echoing throughout the world, not just in Ebott City. The monster's freedom has been debated for the past six months, but could that soon turn into six years? 

What if humanity passed some law that sent the monsters back into the underground? That'd be absolutely tragic! Sans and Papyrus both looked so happy up here and them being ripped from their freedom would be an absolute tragedy! 

Would the humans really be that cruel though? Monsters pretty much had equal rights to humans right now but, could that change? Humans were learning to be more accepting so, maybe nothing terrible will happen this time. 

As you made your way down the street, you passed a house with an "Anti-Monster" sign up in their yard. It had the silhouette of a monster with long hair and vicious claws being crossed out with a big red 'no' symbol over it.

That didn't look like any monster you'd ever seen, its features were exaggerated and made to look cruel and scary. The closest monster you'd seen to looking like that was the Queen and her past husband. But, they seemed like nice people and nothing like that vicious representation. 

You walked past the sign and shook your head, "Who'd ever put that in their yard?" You muttered to yourself. 

After walking a bit longer, you finally ended up at Muffet's. Decorating the glass windows outside of the café were little decorative spiders, coffee cups and donuts. You smiled and admired the purple awning above the door. Written on it in a pretty cursive font was "Muffet's Café". 

As you walked closer to the door, the monster you recognized to be the Queen of all monsters walked out. She was wearing a black skirt, a white shirt and a purple cardigan. She looked to be in a very happy mood and her eyes were bright. 

"Good morning," She spoke with an acknowledging nod. 

"Good morning, your majesty." You spoke with a curtsy. 

"Oh please, you can call me Toriel. I'm not much of a queen anymore." She laughed somewhat and smiled at you. 

"Well, once you're royalty, you're always royalty right?" You joked. 

She chucked and nodded her head, "It does seem so," she replied. 

"Now, excuse me young one, I must go run some errands. Have a good day!" She spoke as she walked over to the crosswalk. 

"You too, Toriel!" You replied to her kindly as she walked away. 

You turned back to the café and took a deep breath before walking to the door and opening it, you stepped inside and were surprised to see more people than you expected. By counting heads, you could see five humans and twenty-two monsters. That was pretty good for any café in the morning. 

Muffet rolled over to you on her roller skates and adjusted her bow tie. "Ah, there you are deary. I was starting to wonder if you weren't going to take up my offer." She spoke. 

"I had a busy weekend, I'm sorry." You apologized. 

"That's alright deary, I understand completely" She spoke with a respectful nod. 

"Can I get some food before we talk over the job?" You asked her. 

"Of course, right this way." She responded as she skated over to the counter. 

You followed her and walked past all the customers, there were no familiar faces in here other than Muffet, which left you slightly disappointed. You had really hoped that Papyrus would be here. He did mention helping you get a job here, though that was before he knew you had been offered one already. 

You walked up to the counter and looked at the menu written with chalk on the wall. Everything on it looked rather interesting, there were plenty of teas, pastries, coffees and sweets. You looked at it for a few minutes before turning to Muffet. "May I have an iced mocha and a spider donut please?" You asked her. 

"Of course deary, that'll be three dollars and thirty-two cents." Muffet replied as she signaled her 'spider workers' to start making your mocha 

You nodded and put your bag on the counter as you pulled out your wallet, you got three dollars out and gathered three dimes and two pennies. You slid them over to Muffet and she took them with one of her arms, "Thank you," she responded.

You tucked your wallet back into your bag and slung it over your shoulder. You waited for a few minutes until she rolled over with your iced mocha and your donut. "Enjoy deary!" She chirped. 

"I will for sure," You replied with a smile as you picked up the donut and walked over to an empty seat. 

You unwrapped the donut from it's wrapper, it was iced with purple icing and topped with cartoony spider sprinkles. You sat in the chair and took a sip of the iced mocha, it was heavenly. You sighed happily and leaned back in your chair.  

You were now regretting being involved in the protest held here even more, you had severely underestimated the monsters for sure. This iced mocha was absolutely amazing, you understand completely why so many people are here right now. 

You picked up the donut and took a small bite, you chewed slowly and felt a smile appear on your lips. It was amazing too, you couldn't believe that you had ever doubted this place.

"heya kiddo," 

You nearly jumped out of your chair when the sudden familiar voice sounded, you put the donut down and turned to see Papyrus looking at you with a humored expression. 

"When did you get here?" You asked him in surprise. 

"just now," He replied.

"I never heard you come in though?" You replied with a tilt of your head. 

"oh really? that's odd." He responded with a snicker. 

You tilted your head more in confusion and sighed. "Okay then..." 

You soon realized he was wearing a different outfit, he was in black basketball shorts with white stripes going down the sides and a black t-shirt that has "I find this humerus" written on it along with a humerus bone printed next to it. 

"Not in your normal garb today, Papyrus?" You spoke with curiosity.

"nah, it was laundry day so my hoodies had to be washed." He replied with a chuckle. 

"I wondered if you ever wore anything different." You snickered as you picked your donut back up. 

"did ya think i just wore my hoodie all the time, kid?" Papyrus said with a laugh as he pulled the chair out across from you and sat down. 

"Well, to be honest... Kinda?" You admitted with an embarrassed blush.

"well, i wear my hoodies a lot, but not that often." He chuckled. 

You smiled and took a sip of your iced mocha, "I've only ever seen you wear the orange hoodie, so I didn't know." you joked. 

"Oh deary, I see that you've met Papyrus now?" Muffet spoke. 

You turned to face her and shook your head, "Actually, we met a few days ago." you responded. 

"Oh really? Well you should get used to his presence, after all he's here practically every day." Muffet commented.

"heh, yep. i can't go a day without a bottle of honey." Papyrus chuckled and Muffet rolled her eyes. 

"A bottle of honey? Is that normal for monsters?" You asked with a tilt of your head. 

"It's normal for Papyrus, another normal thing for him is never paying his tab." She commented while shooting him a glance. 

Papyrus shrugged off her comment and smirked, "i'll pay it off one day." 

She sighed and shook her head, "I guess you'd like the usual, Papyrus?"

"yes please," Papyrus responded. 

"Alright deary, coming right up." She sighed as she walked behind the counter. 

"did you have a good walk home last night?" Papyrus asked suddenly which made you freeze. 

Should you mention Austin? I mean, other than the impending rain and Austin harassing you, it was pretty good. But, it seemed Papyrus must have sensed your worry because he suddenly asked, "did something happen, kiddo?" 

"N-no! Not at all. It was a wonderful walk!" You lied with a fake smile plastered on your face. 

"it doesn't sound like you're tellin' the truth, (y\n)." Papyrus responded as he made direct eye contact with you. 

"I swear I'm telling the truth," You spoke quickly as you grabbed your coffee and took a sip. 

He seemed to raise an 'bone'brow and he leaned back in his chair. "listen kid, i don't know what's going on but, you can tell me." 

"Nothing is going on," You fibbed. 

He stayed silent for a few seconds before he let out a sigh, "alright kid, i'll leave this issue be for now." 

To your luck, Muffet interrupted the conversation when she rolled over and set a bottle of honey in front of Papyrus. It was shaped like a cute bear and Papyrus quickly flipped the lid on the bottle open and took a few sips. 

"I suppose this'll be on your tab?" Muffet asked him in a disappointed tone. 

"ye-" 

"I'll pay for it," You interrupted as you dug through your bag and pulled out your wallet. 

"you don't have to do that," Papyrus told you. 

"I want to, how much will it be?" You asked her. 

"That'll be four dollars." Muffet replied. 

You nodded and pulled a five dollar bill out of your wallet, you handed it to her and smiled. "Keep the change," 

"Thank you, deary." Muffet replied as she rolled to the cash register, putting the money into it. 

"I'll be in the back, once you're done talking to Papyrus come find me." She told you before rolling into the back. 

You finished your donut and looked over at Papyrus to see him staring at you with a slight orange tint on his cheekbones. As soon as he realized that you had noticed him, he turned his gaze to the menu on the wall.  

"you should try their camomile tea, it's really good." He spoke quickly. 

"Erm, alright." You responded in confusion. 

What was that about? Had he been blushing? Could skeletons even blush? And if so, why was he blushing? Was he blushing over you paying for his honey or just over you in general? 

Many thoughts swirled around in your head but, you couldn't decide on the exact reason why he had blushed. He seemed quite embarrassed over the whole ordeal so, you didn't dare ask him. 

But, thinking about it made you happy for some reason and, you even thought you could feel your own cheeks heating up. In a panic, you quickly took a sip of your drink hoping the cup would cover up your blush. 

"O-oh, h-hello Papyrus... I d-didn't expect you to b-be awake t-this early." A familiar shy voice spoke. 


	11. "The New Employee"

You looked over to see Undyne, one of the monsters that had dined at Harvey's a few days back. If you remembered correctly, she was Alphys' girlfriend. She and her girlfriend were the couple that gave you that very generous tip. You made a mental note to thank her. 

She had her red hair up in a messy bun and she was dressed in a long white lab coat with a black tank underneath. She was roughly Papyrus' height, maybe a bit shorter. 

"i wasn't planning on getting up so early but, sans thought it'd be a great day to 'rise and shine' at five in the morning." Papyrus replied as he yawned sleepily. 

"S-Sans t-told me you were having problems with n-nightmares... I-is there any way I can h-help?" Undyne asked as she fiddled with her fingers nervously. 

"nah, i'm good." Papyrus responded as he took another sip of his honey. 

"oh, this is my friend (y\n) by the way." He added as he gestured to you. 

You waved and she adjusted her glasses as she looked at you shyly. "H-haven't we m-met before?" She stuttered out. 

You nodded, "I was your waitress at Harvey's the other day." you responded. 

"oh, she was your waitress? how was her service?" Papyrus asked Undyne mischievously.

You knew why he was asking this, he wanted to know if you had been kind to them. He was still trying to figure out who you were as a person. He wanted to know if you were really a monster hater or if you were just a normal person who got mixed up with the wrong crowd. You could tell that he hoped it was the latter. You hoped it was the latter as well, but you still haven't decided your standing on the issue yet. 

"I-it was great... A-Alphys and I enjoyed it so much t-that we gave her a v-very good t-tip." Undyne responded with a faint blush. 

"About that, thank you very much! I'm tight on money so that generous tip helped a lot." You told her with a smile. 

"O-oh! It's n-no problem at all... Alphys said she r-really thought you looked like y-you deserved some extra c-cash." She responded as she looked over at the wall. 

"Well, please tell her that I said thank you!'" You replied before you happily took another sip of your mocha. 

Undyne nodded nervously and looked back to Papyrus, "S-sorry for interrupting your talk...I just uh... Sorry..." She apologized. 

"don't sweat it undyne, i don't mind." Papyrus responded. 

"W-well... That's g-good! N-now excuse me, I need t-to place an order." Undyne responded as she slipped away and walked to the counter. 

"cya undyne," Papyrus responded. 

Papyrus turned his gaze back to you, "what was the 'very good' tip?" he asked curiously as he looked into your (e\c) eyes. 

"That's a bit personal, don't you think?" You replied with a lifted eyebrow. 

"nah, i don't think so." He spoke with a shrug of his shoulders. 

You took a deep breath "Thirty-five dollars." 

"hm, that was very generous." He replied as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a dispenser of toothpicks. He shook the container and one fell into his palm. He placed it into his mouth and put the container back into his pocket. 

You looked over to the doors to see a taller man, not as tall as Papyrus but still very tall enter the café with a confident stride. He looked to be in his mid-thirties and he had nice features. He was dressed well in a black suit and he ran his hand through his graying brown hair, he grinned as he walked straight towards you. 

Papyrus seemed to notice him almost immediately and he watched as the man confidently walked over. "ya know him, kiddo?" He asked you. 

"No, I don't. I've never seen that man in my life." You responded. 

He watched the man closely as he walked up, you could see Papyrus was very tense, as if he didn't trust this man's presence. He seemed to narrow his gaze as he stared at him. 

Once the man made it next to you, he looked down at you with a bright smile. "Hey sweet cheeks, I lost my number. Can I have yours?" He chuckled. 

You suppressed a giggle and shook you head, "Sorry, I'm not interested." You told him gently. 

"Oh really? What if I told you I had a clean black Cadillac parked outside?" He asked as he straighted his tie. 

"Then my answer would still be the same. I am not interested, sir." You replied as you sat back in your chair. 

You heard him hum slightly before he licked his lips slowly, "Alright, but I still think you're an absolutely gorgeous young lady." He spoke with a sly grin. 

This guy seemed nicer than Austin but he still had a very creepy nature to him. Papyrus was giving him a death glare and he looked back at him with no fear. He obviously didn't have any fear of monsters, the way he looked at Papyrus made you feel like he was involved in some law enforcement. Papyrus' intimidation tactics weren't working and he seemed pretty disappointed over that. 

"Well, thank you sir." You replied before turning back to Papyrus. 

He tapped on your shoulder gently, when you turned back around he had a business card in his hand. "If you change your mind, just give me a call, okay hun?" He spoke with a chuckle. 

You took his card reluctantly and put it onto the table, "Alright Mr..." you paused for a second to read his last name, "Smith, I'll give you a call if that happens." You replied without having any actual plans to ever call him. 

He licked his lips again and nodded respectively, he smirked somewhat at Papyrus before walking the the counter to order. You looked down at his business card, it read "Noah Jonathan Smith, Head Police Detective at Mt. Ebott Police and owner of Smith's Used Cars". Under that it had his phone number and the addresses of where he worked. 

"you're not planning on callin' him, right?" Papyrus asked you.

"of course not," You replied as you finished your coffee and stood up. 

"i didn't like him, what is his job?" He asked. 

"Apparently head detective at the police station and a used car salesman." You responded. 

"he's a shady used car salesman? that explains a lot." Papyrus muttered as he chewed on the toothpick in his mouth gently. 

"Well, I don't know if he's a bad one. He has some potential to be a good guy." You replied. 

"he looked like some egotistical narcissist to me," Papyrus muttered. 

"Well, maybe you need to take what you're trying to teach me and stop judging people by how they look and act." You responded with an impish grin. 

Papyrus froze, his mouth hanging open slightly in shock. His toothpick fell out of his mouth onto the table and you chuckled at the sight at him. "I'll see you later Papyrus, it was nice talking to you." You told him as you walked to the trashcan to throw away your trash. 

You put the cup and donut package inside the trash and made your way to the door in the back. You turned the doorhandle and walked inside, scattered along the light purple walls were tiny spiders. You looked over to see Muffet sitting down at a desk writing things down on a notepad. 

"How do you pass health inspections?" You asked as you looked around at the spiders. 

"Oh deary, these aren't your normal unsanitary spiders. These are monster spiders who wash their legs before preparing food." She replied before she let out a laugh. 

"Oh, well... That's interesting." You replied as you walked to her desk.

"Sit down deary," Muffet told you as she gestured to a chair in front of her desk. 

You complied and sat in the chair. "Alright, I do want the job so, I guess I just need to sign some papers?" You asked with a tilt of hour head. 

"You still need to fill out a job application but, you're guaranteed to get the job." Muffet replied. 

She slid over the paper and a pen, "Take your time, deary." she spoke cheerfully.

You took the paper and pen and slowly began to fill in all the information such as, your age, education, address, name, et cetera. You had forgotten how much info was needed on these things, it had been such a long time since you filled one in. After around twenty-five minutes, you slid the paper back to Muffet and she looked over it. She smiled and adjusted her glasses, "Well Miss (l\n), welcome to the job." she spoke with a nod. 

A smile formed on your lips, ”Thank you so much ma'am! When do I start?" you asked her curiously. 

"I'll give you a few days, how about you start on Thursday?" Muffet suggested in response. 

"Alright, that sounds good. Thank you very much for the opportunity and I can't wait to start working here!" You told her cheerfully. 

"That's wonderful deary, see you at five AM on Thursday!" She exclaimed. 

You stood up and walked to the door, "See you later ma'am!" you responded as you walked out. Papyrus had left by now and you sighed, hopefully you hadn't ruined whatever friendship was blossoming with the tall skeleton. 

You were on your way to the door when a small spider crawled in front of you holding a piece of paper, you bent down and took the piece of paper. As soon as it was in your possession, the spider walked away and you looked at the paper. Written on it was "hey, why don't you call me sometime, kiddo? -papyrus" along with his phone number underneath. You smiled knowing you hadn't ruined the friendship and tucked his note into your pocket. You'd add him into your contacts as soon as possible.

You walked outside and looked around at the bustling city, it really had been a great day so far. Hopefully Austin won't show up on your walk home and ruin the good day you've been having that would be extremely disappointing after all. 

You took a deep breath and began your trek home, you were going to enjoy your last day working at Harvey's as much as possible tonight. Not to mention you would finally be able to quit your loathed job. You couldn't wait to see the look on your boss's face when you slam your name tag down on his desk exclaiming loudly "I quit!". It would be hilarious and probably worthy of some internet meme. 

You smiled as you walked knowing that your life was slowly improving, maybe you could even get a car again soon. That would definitely be a dream come true. But, you could only hope for now.


	12. "A Friend Meets a Foe"

After around five minutes of walking, you came across none other than Grace. Her long ginger hair was fixed in two braided pigtails and she was wearing a light wash denim jacket, black jeans with a tear in one knee, a white t-shirt and short brown boots. She smiled as she walked over, "Hello, (y\n)!" she spoke happily. 

"Hello, Grace." You replied with a weak smile. 

"How have you been?" She asked you cheerfully. 

"I've been good, how about you and Audrey?" You asked her. 

"We've been great! Audrey just got accepted to be the head of an anti-monster committee and she's really excited." Grace responded with a big smile. 

You scowled for a split second and let out a small sigh before you weakly smiled again. "I'm happy for her." You lied. 

"I am too! She's never been this happy before and I'm just really proud of her." Grace chirped happily. 

You gritted your teeth together in order to stop saying something offensive and nodded your head up and down slowly. "That's great," You spoke through your clenched teeth. 

"Oh, how did the dinner with that guy go?" Grace asked you curiously. 

"Hm? Oh! It went good, the poor thing couldn't cook for crap though." You replied with a chuckle. 

Grace let out a small giggle, "Sounds like Audrey, to be honest." 

"Oh, she's a bad cook?" You asked Grace with a tilt of your head. 

Grace nodded, her ginger pigtails gently bouncing up and down as she attempted to stifle a laugh. "Oh, you have no idea. Once she blew up a pot roast in my microwave." She replied with a gentle chuckle. 

"Oh wow, a pot roast?" You replied with a snicker. 

"You bet, and that's not even the worst thing she's done." Grace replied with amusement in her bright green gaze. 

"Oh really? What's another?" You asked her curiously. 

"Well, she once made a grilled cheese sandwich with the plastic still on the slice of cheese." Grace replied with a giggle. 

"Sometimes I think she's as stupid as those monsters." Grace added with a laugh. 

You instantly froze at her comment and just stared directly into her green eyes. That comment had upset you greatly, but could you show it? What if she found out you were working with the monsters now? Would she actually abandon you over such a thing? 

You bit into the insides of your cheeks and turned your gaze from her, you grumbled slightly before you turned back to her.  "I need to get going, it was fun talking." You muttered as you turned away from the friend you were beginning to hate. 

"(y\n), are you a monster sympathizer?" She asked you in surprise. 

You turned around and faced her directly, "Not exactly, but they don't deserve to be treated like dirt!" you hissed. 

She frowned and crossed her arms, "But what about the safety of the local residents of Ebott City? The crime rate has gone up twenty-five percent since those 'monsters' appeared in the city." She pointed out.  

"Those weren't crimes that monsters committed, Grace. Those where crimes performed by racist humans like yourself, humans are the real monsters in this world." You growled. 

She stood there stiff as a board for a few moments before she stepped back slightly, looking over at you. "I cannot believe you truly think that." She spoke with a darker tone than normal. 

"Why not? Didn't you two figure it out after that last protest you dragged me to?" You replied with narrowed eyes. 

"I knew something was up with you! You're just as bad as Maia, you've been brainwashed by those piece of trash monsters." Grace growled. 

"I haven't been brainwashed by anyone!" You snapped in response. 

"Yes you have! You're just too simpleminded to see that you have been." Grace spat. 

"Woah, woah, girls, break it up." An all too familiar voice spoke. 

You slowly turned to see Austin standing right behind you, his spiky blonde hair gently blowing in the breeze. A grin was plastered on his face and he chuckled as he popped the collar of his black leather jacket. He stuck a hand in his pocket looked over you and Grace. 

"So, I see you have a cute friend? Is she taken?" He asked as he stroked his stubbly beard with his hand. 

"I am taken by my wonderful girlfriend." Grace replied with a small blush as she puffed out her cheeks. 

"Aw, that's too bad. You're a gorgeous gal, she's really lucky to have you." He replied. 

"Oh, uh... I need to talk to your friend in private for a bit if that's alright." He added. 

"Oh, sure. We were parting ways anyway." Grace replied. 

You shot Grace a pleading glance and she instantly saw it, "A-actually, I just remembered I had to talk to her about something." She quickly said as she grabbed your wrist. 

"Aw, alright... I'll just have to 'catch' her later." He spoke with a deep chuckle as he slowly backed away and turned around. 

"You two have a nice day, alright?" He added as he walked off.

Grace made sure Austin was gone before she let go of your wrist. "Don't expect me to help you again, (y\n)." She grumbled. 

"Fine," You spoke through clenched teeth, rage was present in your (e\c) gaze yet again. 

Grace turned from you and stormed away, "Have a nice day." she grumbled.

"You too, Grace." You muttered in response as you started making your way home again. 

 

\-------------------------------------

You flopped down on your couch and grumbled, Grace had put you in an especially foul mood. You just wished you could rage to someone about it, but you really didn't have anyone to talk to. 

You had just received Papyrus' phone number today and you didn't want to bother him, so you'd just continue drawing the picture for Mrs. Agatha. 

You took a deep breath and pulled out your phone, putting your music on shuffle and picking up your sketchbook off the coffee table where you had left it. You gently untucked the pencil from inside the ring binder and started leaving gentle strokes on the paper to make the cat look more realistic. You were attempting to draw the texture of fur, which was very difficult with a simple graphite pencil. 

You slowly gave the cat it's snowshoe markings and you suddenly jumped when your music was interrupted by the sound of your phone ringing. You picked it up and quickly glanced at the caller ID, Audrey was calling. You knew this wouldn't be a very happy phone call, you reluctantly answered it with a simple, "Hello?" and waited for the lambasting to start.  

"So, Grace told me what you said." Audrey started, her voice was emotionless.

"Oh, did she now?" You muttered in response before you turned your phone on speaker and set it down so you could draw while you talked. 

"How could you be so stupid?! You actually trust those creatures?!" She suddenly hissed angrily.

"Yes, I do in fact trust them. They are some of the most kind and compassionate people I've ever met." You responded nonchalantly. 

"(y\n), they aren't people! They are monsters and I never want you to call them people ever again, got it?!" Audrey growled. 

"Audrey, you do not control what I say and do. I make my own decisions and I think that your bigotry of my opinion is downright sickening." You responded furiously. 

"You listen here, you monster lover, don't you ever speak to me like that again!" Audrey yelled. 

"I'll speak to you how I want to!" You replied to her while clenching your first. 

"(y\n), look at the facts! The monsters are bad and need to go back under that mountain, they were locked down there for a reason!" Audrey hissed. 

"What facts?! The fact that the human race is a repulsive species? I don't understand why we're so full of hate!" You responded with an angry tone. 

"The human species is superior, that's why we're at the top of the food chain!" Audrey spoke with an annoyed tone. 

"What the hell does the food chain have to do with anything?!" You asked her while being completely fed up with her nonsense. 

Audrey let out an annoyed grumble and she sighed slightly, "Alright, well you can have your own stupid opinion I suppose but, don't you ever dare talk to me or Grace again unless you change your opinion." She spoke with venom present in her voice. 

"Fine! I don't need to talk to such hateful people anyway! I'm so glad I accepted that job at Muffet's, I'd rather be with those 'monsters' than a terrible person like you any day!" You replied angrily. 

"You're gonna regret this, (y\n). I know you'll regret it because soon these beasts will show their true nature and you'll be caught up amongst the chaos." Audrey responded. 

"The only thing I'll ever regret is knowing you." You spat.

"I hope you enjoy your time with those savages, (y\n)." Audrey replied coldly.

"I hope you'll soon see what Grace and I are fighting for. Goodbye, traitor." She hissed before hanging up the phone angrily.  

As soon as she hung up, you looked down sadly as your music began to play again. You quickly grabbed your phone and paused the music as tears began to well up in your eyes. You had known them for years now and all of the sudden, two of your best friends had vanished from your life. You took ragged breaths as you ran your hands through your (h\c) hair, today had surely taken a turn for the worst. 

You put your hand into your pocket and pulled out the phone number Papyrus had given you and quickly punched his number into your phone. You needed someone to talk to about all this, you didnt know how to react, had you done the right thing? 

As you waited for him to pick up, tears started dropping down your cheeks. You quickly wiped your eyes tried to stop crying, but the tears just kept coming. You didn't want him to hear you cry, you didn't want to be remembered for that. He'd likely never forget the moment you broke down while talking to him. You couldn't let him see you as some sack of emotions, you needed to stay strong. 

"hello?" His familiar raspy voice spoke though the speaker on your phone.


	13. "Reassurance"

You took a deep breath and thought over your words carefully, "Hey, Papyrus... It's (y\n)." You spoke with a sigh. 

"oh, heya kiddo. what's up?" He asked you curiously. 

"Well, I hope you don't mind but... I really needed someone to talk to." You replied as you tried to keep your crying unnoticeable. 

"i don't mind whatsoever, you okay, (y\n)?" Papyrus asked, you could hear the worry in his voice. 

You sighed and sniffed, you wiped the tears dripping down your face away and tried to fight back the army of tears forming in your eyes. 

"To be honest, no I'm not." You replied with a sad sigh. 

"(y\n), are you crying? what happened?" He asked you worriedly.

"Y-yeah I kinda am c-crying, hah..." You stuttered out. 

You gripped the fabric of your shorts and sighed before you continued on. 

"I-I ...uh... I lost two of my best friends today. They were the friends that dragged me to the monster protests and such..." You told him quietly. 

"what happened? did they see that you got a job at muffet's?" He asked you sympathetically. 

"N-no, one of them said something rude about monsters and I kinda snapped at her and we got in an argument." You replied as you gripped your jean shorts tighter. 

"oh, kiddo... i-" He started before you cut him off. 

"We left each other after a heated argument and my friend told our other friend about our fight... She called me up on the phone and we argued as well and it ended in our friendships all being shattered completely " You explained with a sad sigh. 

You cried softly and tried to calm yourself down, you wanted to have some confirmation that what you had done was the right thing to do. You wiped the tears from your eyes and let out another shaky sigh. 

"kiddo, they didn't deserve your friendship. if they couldn't accept that you had a different opinion, they had no right to be your friend." Papyrus commented. 

"But did I do the right thing? I just lost two of my good friends and I honestly don't know how to react." You replied sadly. 

"yes, you did the right thing. you stood up for what you believed and if they couldn't respect that, then they really didn't deserve you." Papyrus responded kindly. 

You let out a quiet sob and Papyrus could be heard sighing, "please don't cry, kiddo. everything will get better soon, i promise, okay?" he told you reassuringly. 

"But what if it isn't? What if they become biased against me and use me as examples in their anti-monster campaigns?" You asked him worriedly, your tone of voice must sound absolutely pitiful to the tall skeleton. 

"then i suppose you'd know how it feels." He remarked. 

"Wait, have you been used as an example in presentations before?" You asked him as you cocked your head to one side. 

"yup, they even had the nerve to photoshop me with red eyelights and long, sharp fangs." He replied. 

"Aw geez, that's terrible! Did you confront them about it?" You asked him quietly. 

"even if i had, the mob of protestors probably would've mauled me before i could even explain what i was doing." He responded with a sigh. 

"That really makes me mad, you are so kind and those protestors just treat you like a murderer." You told him while running your hand through your hair. 

"i'm kinda used to it. anyways, kiddo, was this what was bothering ya earlier?" He asked you curiously. 

Oh yes, of course he'd bring that back up. How do you respond though? Should you say 'yes' or 'no'? Either way would have uniquely different consequences but, you didn't want him worrying about Austin. You didn't really want anyone to know about that creepy pervert. But, what if not telling anyone led to really terrible consequences? What if he decided to get what he wanted by force? 

"Yeah, that was it." You lied. 

"kiddo, you sure?" He asked you in response, something about his tone of voice told you he didn't really believe you. 

"Y-yeah." You responded with a sniffle. 

"hey, if someone's botherin' ya, i have a bone to pick with 'em." He told you with a slight chuckle. 

You laughed slightly at his joke and let out a sigh, "T-thank you, Papyrus." you stuttered slightly. 

"hey kiddo, there's no need to thank me. i'm here for ya." Papyrus replied kindly. 

You blushed slightly and looked out the window at the side of the room, "I don't deserve such kindness, thank you again, Papyrus." you spoke quietly while wiping the remaining tears from your eyes. 

"of course ya deserve such kindness, you're a really sweet gal and i don't want ya thinkin' otherwise." Papyrus responded. 

"W-well, you're m-much nicer!" You stuttered out.

"i'm not always like this, you've seen me when i'm not at my best. like at the protest... hell, even at my house somewhat." He started with a sigh.

"but you, you don't have to do things to yourself to make yourself feel better. you've got the fighting spirit that keeps you going. the spirit that makes you see good in others." He continued. 

"unlike most people in this city, you see good in us monsters and you choose to be nice to us. that proves by itself that you are much nicer than you probably think." He finished. 

You were left speechless by his words, you had forgotten about the tension you two had shared while at his house... It was almost like you had known Papyrus for longer than you actually have. You actually felt quite close to him, like he was the only close friend you had left. But, he was a better friend than Grace and Audrey ever were, and you just met him. 

"Well, I'm glad you can see me that way." You replied, still quite surprised over his words. 

All you got in a response was a simple "mmhm," and you let out a content sigh. Knowing Papyrus now trusted you and that he was confident you were a good person almost instantly made you cheer up. For some reason, being on this tall skeleton's good side was necessity to you. You weren't exactly sure why, but you were exceptionally happy when he was around. He often helped you feel at ease and his words could really calm you down. 

"Well, I need to start getting ready for my last day of work. Thank you so much for helping me out." You told him with a smile. 

"it's no problem kiddo, i'd do anythin' to help a friend like you out." He replied. 

"Well, you can always call me too." You responded to him kindly. 

"heh, alright, (y\n). thanks, i may have to take up your offer someday." Papyrus replied with a slight chuckle.

"Alright, Papyrus. I'll talk to you later, okay?" 

"okay kid, talk to ya later. have a good day at work." He replied. 

"Bye!" 

"bye, kiddo." 

And with your final goodbyes, you hung up the phone and stood up. It was finally your last day at your dreaded job, you were going to make yourself enjoy it. Nobody could ruin it for you, not your boss, not some bad apple customer, not even Scotty. Not to mention you could see the surprise on your boss's face when you told him you quit. He probably thought you would never quit, perhaps he would even be happy you were leaving. 

Though, if he was happy that you quit, the satisfaction wouldn't be as great. He could even remark that it was about time for you to quit, either way, it doesn't matter. 

You walked into your room and quickly got dressed in your uniform, you gently straightened the tie ever-so-carefully and made your way into the bathroom with short strides. You looked at your face and noticed you had visible tear-marks running down your (s\c) face. With a sigh, you washed your face gently with soap and water and hoped they'd be gone by the time you got to Harvey's. You got out your hairbrush and brushed all the knots out of your hair and leaned in front of the mirror to fix the strands of hair out of place. 

Once that was all done, you sat on your bed and slipped on your fancy black heels and stood up. You walked to your mirror and attached your name tag to your vest and walked back into your living room to grab your bag and phone. Once you had gathered everything you needed, you walked out the front entrance of your apartment and made your way down the stairs. 

After you went down all four flights of stairs, you walked out the main entrance to your apartment complex and turned to see Tyler talking to a shorter male with short brown hair standing on the sidewalk. The guy had a short, stubbly beard and was wearing a black t-shirt and cargo shorts. Tyler looked over to see you and he waved before turning back to the guy. 

Not having much time to waste, you waved back and made your way down the sidewalk to your work. You wondered if that was the friend Tyler was calling the other day, what was his name? It was Josh, right? They looked like they had been discussing something funny, Tyler had a goofy smile on his face and the other guy was smiling with amusement in his gaze. 

And just as you were almost out of earshot, you heard Tyler exclaim "Use your glutes!" followed by the two men laughing. 

"I wonder what that's about." You spoke out loud with a chuckle. 


	14. "Deux"

After walking the distance it took to get to work, you had finally arrived at Harvey's. The familiar shrubbery had recently been trimmed and the items on the chalkboard menu had changed. Some of the specials were Creamy Risotto, Salmon burgers and French Onion Soup. 

The drink specials included Lime Margaritas, Martinis and Pina Coladas. Harvey's was very well known for making the best mixed drinks in town. They had been voted for the best place to grab an alcoholic beverage at least seven times by now. You had never tried any of the drinks at Harvey's before, though you didn't really want to anyway. You only drank on occasion and you hadn't tried many mixed drinks before. 

You walked up to the door at Harvey's and froze when you saw a paper stuck to the door. Realizing that wasn't here when you last came into work, you quickly read it out loud. "Attention, " it started. 

"Monsters are no longer allowed in this restaurant, if a person of monster race enters, we have the right to refuse them service." It continued. 

"If the person of monster origin refuses to leave, we will either be forced to kick them out ourselves, or call the authorities about the impending threat. Have a good day." It finished off which left your mouth agape.

How could a business accept customers of one race one day, and then completely ban them from the premises a couple days later? That was just wrong in so many ways, you were extremely happy that today was your last day working at this hated filled place. You couldn't imagine working at a place that believed that monsters were lesser people, or not even people at all. 

You opened the door and walked to the back of the restaurant, you clocked in and put all of your belongings in your locker. You tied your apron around your waist and sighed as you leaned against the lockers. To be honest, you'd somewhat miss this place. You'd been working here for what seemed like ages but, you knew the change of work would be for the better. 

A better pay and what seemed to be like a better work environment is what kept you motivated to quit tonight. You wouldn't have to deal with rich and snobby customers anymore. That was a good thing, that's for sure.

"(y\n)! Get your butt off the lockers and go wait the tables!" Scotty hissed which caused you to be torn from your thoughts. 

"Right, I just have a lot on my mind. Sorry, Scotty." You quickly apologized as you stood straight and walked to the front. 

You walked to the front where you a young couple was waiting, "I'm very sorry that you had to wait, what is your reservation under?" you asked them as you looked at the reservation book. 

"It's under the reservation of Gaillard." The young woman replied. 

"Why didn't you put it under Pratt?" The male asked her shortly. 

"Because you didn't call, I called and I chose to use my surname. If you have a problem with that, Daniel, then I'd suggest you call next time." She grumbled in response. 

He seemed like he was going to respond when he grumbled and turned away, the female was grinning triumphantly in response to his retreat. You cleared your throat and grabbed two menus. "I'll take you to your table, follow me please." You told them as you began to walk to one of the tables. 

They followed slowly and you took them to one of the more romantic parts of the restaurant, hoping they'd be able to get over whatever fight they were getting themselves into. You set their menus on the table and stepped back. "Your waiter will be here in a moment." You told the couple with a gentle smile. 

"Alright, thank you Misses." The male said as he nodded respectively and sat in his chair. 

You walked back to the front of the store and stopped dead in your tracks when you saw none other than the guy from Muffet's the other day waiting to be seated at the front. Standing in front of him was a young boy, around seven or so wearing a nice white dress shirt with a yellow tie tied around his neck. He smiled as he looked up at Noah as he talked to him, his hands tucked into his pockets. 

You assumed that Noah... Or 'Mr. Smith' was his father, you didn't ever expect him to be the type of guy to have a child. Maybe it was his nephew or something. Or, maybe you were completely wrong and he was the exact type of person to have a son. Either way, it still would surprise you greatly. 

You took a deep breath and continued walking further, when you got to him you went to the reservation book. "Let me guess, Sir... Reservation for Smith?" You asked him which made his eyes quickly flick over to you. You saw him grin as he put his hands on the little boy's shoulders. "Hello again, I've been blessed to see your beautiful face twice now, I'm a very lucky man." He spoke, the words rolling off his tongue smoothly. 

"Yes, hello Mr. Smith. Now, that's your reservation, correct?" You asked him, a slight blush appearing on your face. 

"Yes, that's correct, sweet cheeks." He responded with a slight chuckle. 

You sighed deeply and grabbed a regular menu and a kid's menu, you wondered what he'd do if you gave him a kid's menu as well. You didn't know if he'd find it insulting, or funny. It's more likely that'd he'd be insulted than humored by that action, though. Since he was in the police, you definitely didn't want to offend him. Though, he didn't seem like much of an uptight guy.  

"Follow me to your table, please." You told them as you started walking to the table. The two boys followed, their dress shoes clicking across the tile floor as they went. 

"Noah, please be nice to this girl. You must make a good impression, alright, m'boy?" You heard Mr. Smith tell what you could only assume was his son. 

"Yes, dad." His son replied quietly. 

You led them to the table and set the menus down, you looked over and saw that Scotty was busy waiting plenty of tables so, you took out your notepad and looked at the two men. They sat down at their table and they both looked at you hopefully. 

"Mr. Smith, what would you like t-"

"Your number, love." He cut you off in response. 

You held back the urge to roll your eyes and tapped your foot on the ground impatiently, "Sir, I'm being serious here. What would you like to drink?" you asked him with a sigh. 

"I'll take a glass of iced tea." He replied with an annoyed grumble. It seemed like he didn't get rejected often, it was like being rejected was an unfamiliar territory for him. Do ladies really think he is that attractive or something? 

You quickly wrote his order down and your eyes flicked over to the younger boy, he almost seemed to be an exact copy of his dad. Same nose, same eyes, it was just so surreal. Did he even have any traits from his mother? You guess you wouldn't know though since you've never seen his mom before.  But, it did make you very curious. 

"And what would you like to drink, young man?" You asked him politely. 

"I'll take some cola, please." He replied. 

You nodded and turned to walk to the kitchen, "I'll be back with your drinks in a moment." You told them. "Hold on a second, miss." The younger boy spoke which caused you to turn back around. "Yes, sir?" You replied. 

"Hey, I don't have a mother, will you be my sugar mama?" He asked you with a devilish grin on his face. His father had a proud glint in his eyes and you stood there shocked for a few moments. What the hell was this family?! Mr. Smith's son seemed completely normal for a few seconds but no, he had to be more like his father than you had expected. How could a seven year old boy already be a player? 

"Uh, how about no." You replied with a roll of your eyes. You turned and walked away and you heard the two boys high five. "Good job, junior. I knew you had it in ya." You heard Mr. Smith chuckle. 

You grumbled and walked into the kitchen, fixing them their drinks. "I can't believe Noah Smith is here! I love him so much, he's so handsome!" You heard one of the female cooks screech. 

"Mr. Smith is here?! Oh my God!" You heard another giggle.  

So, people must really like Mr. Smith then. You don't understand why, how the hell could anyone like a man like that? All he speaks is flattery, he doesn't even mean half of the things he says. In the end, he's only in it for your looks. He doesn't care about who you are as a person, he only cares about your body. That is a man you could never love. 

You rolled your eyes and walked back out to the mischievous men, setting their drinks in front of them. "Are you two ready to order yet?" You asked them. 

"Not yet, sweet thing." Mr. Smith replied as he had his face buried in the menu. 

"Alright, I'll be back in a bit to take your order then." You replied as you quickly walked off. 

You breathed a sigh of relief when you were finally out of earshot and walked back to the front, luckily Scotty was there and you looked at him hopefully. "Hey, you see those two guys?" You asked him. 

"Oh, you mean the Smiths?" He asked you in response and you nodded. 

"Can you go finish waiting them? They're making me feel very uncomfortable." You asked him. 

He thought for a few seconds before he shook his head, "Nah, you can deal with them." he replied before he moved over and pushed you to the side with force. He quickly flipped you off and walked backwards away from you. "I won't help any monster sympathizer, ever!" He said coldly before he turned and walked to a table. 

You gripped the pencil in your hand tightly in anger, causing it to snap loudly. You were sick and tired of all the racist crap going on recently. First Grade and Audrey, then yourself and finally your trusted workplace. How could people be such bigots to your opinion? Do you not have the right to believe that monsters belong aboveground? 

You gritted your teeth and walked over to grab another pencil, you picked up the new one and threw the broken one away. You were so glad you were quitting tonight, this place doesn't deserve your service. This place didn't even deserve to be open the way they are planning on treating monsters if they enter. It's just plain wrong! 

You took a deep breath and started walking back to the Smith's table. You couldn't let all this ruin your day, you had to stay as positive as possible. Just keep Papyrus' words from earlier in mind and you'll be just fine. And if you have to, you can always call him whilst on break to vent. You're sure he wouldn't mind anyway. He's a really good friend, you wished more people could be like him. 


	15. "Dismissed"

After many hours of hard work, you had finally reached the end or your final shift at Harvey's Fine Dining. All you had to do now was run by Mr. Harvey's office and tell him you were quitting. Well, that and grab all of your belongings out of your locker. 

The customers you had today were all terrible, especially Mr. Smith and his bratty son. Mr. Smith didn't stop his flattery or his flirting until you told him flatly to cut it out. But, after that he and his son ceased all impertinent flirts and treated you respectfully. That was quite the surprise, at least he and his son backed off. And they had even given you a pretty nice tip in the end as well. 

Other customers today had been much worse, cussing you out over the littlest of things or not even giving you a tip. You weren't just there to serve people for free, you're not some slave or indentured servant, you are a person just trying to make a living. Some people forget that you're a regular person like them, how would they feel if you did the same to them at their job? 

You were really hoping Muffet's would be a turnaround for you. Perhaps you'd have much better customers there, customers who were kind and caring... Not some snobby rich person who only cares about themselves and their money. More people like Papyrus and Sans, Undyne and Alphys... Maybe even like your dear friend, Maia. 

You walked to your locker and got all of your items out of it and looked at your phone's lock screen. You actually had a missed call and an unread text from Maia. She had called you two hours ago and had texted you right after. You quickly read the text, it said the following: "Hey, (y\n)! I have some really exciting news. Call me back when you can, thanks!" 

You tapped a finger on you chin in thought for a moment, what could the 'really exciting news' be? Many thoughts swirled around in your brain, but most of the theories were extremely improbable. Maybe she had met someone she had really liked and got engaged or maybe she is going to be working on some big company's animated movie. That'd be amazing, but you didn't think she'd call you over the latter. The former seemed much too sudden to be true and she never mentioned dating anyone, so it was safe to assume that wasn't it. 

You slid your phone into your pocket and planned to call her when you get home. After all, she lives far away in another time zone and when you get home it won't be too late to call her. This was exciting, you hadn't talked to Maia in ages and you couldn't wait to hear her voice again. 

You had known Maia since your sophomore year of highschool, you two weren't friends at first, in fact you used to envy her artistic skill. But, you two quickly became friends when she became your partner in an art elective course in your junior year of highschool. She taught you some tips she knew about art and she helped your artwork improve greatly. You wouldn't be where you were today if it wasn't for that devious Maia. She is definitely a much better friend than Grace and Audrey ever were. So, you definitely appreciate her a lot. 

You shook the thoughts out of your head and looked over to see Scotty bounding towards you. You rolled your eyes remembering the confrontation you two had earlier in the day. He walked up to you, his gray eyes staring deep into your own eyes. He ran his hand through his short black hair and looked at you blankly. "My dad would like to see you in his office." He spoke without any identifiable emotion. 

You nodded and turned to walk to Mr. Harvey's office. You took short and confident strides, it seemed quite odd that he'd call you to his office just when you were about to quit. What could he possibly need? He had only called you to his office around three times during your employment there. The first time was because you were wearing something against the work dress code, the second was because you yelled at Scotty and the third was for a very small promotion. 

You couldn't possibly think of something you did wrong today, so maybe it was a promotion. But, that'd be extremely unfortunate since you were quitting tonight. You took a deep breath as you walked up to the dark brown wooden door that led to his office. His name was on the door on a gold plaque. 'Philip L. Harvey' was his name, he took pride in it. He and his family were proud to be 'Harveys', well... Everyone but Scotty. 

You knocked on the door and waited a few seconds before you heard his deep voice reply a simple, "Come in." 

You turned the gold doorknob and stepped inside his white office. You looked over at him, he was slouched over in his leather office chair and he had his elbows on the desk. He soon straightened his posture and sat up in his chair and gestured to the seat in front of his desk. "Sit." He commanded. 

You nodded and sat in the chair, "What is it that you needed, Mr. Harvey?" You asked him curiously. 

"Due to some places we have seen you recently, Miss (l\n), I'm afraid that you may be posing as a bad image for my restaurant." He spoke as he folded his hands neatly. 

"What do you mean, Sir?" You asked with a confused tilt of your head. 

"It has made apparent to me that you have been hanging around bad... 'Creatures' as of recently and I cannot have your little 'friendships' ruining my business." He replied as his green eyes made direct eye contact with your own.

You flinched at his words, he really was a bigot, wasn't he? How dare he talk about your beliefs and your friends this way! How in any way would your friendships ruin his damned business? You aren't exactly recognized for being part of Harvey's staff, you aren't well known or anything... So how the hell would your personal relationships jeopardize his restaurant? Plus, you shouldn't be able to discriminate against an employee just because they have different views then you. The fact that he was doing this was just so wrong. 

You slammed a hand on his desk angrily and stood up from your seat. "Well, luckily for you, Mr. Harvey, I was planning on quitting tonight anyway." You spoke with your eyes narrowed in anger. 

"No, you cannot quit, because you're fired!" He replied, looking at you hatefully. 

"Oh really? Well watch me, I quit!" You hissed as you slammed your name tag onto his wooden desk. 

He stood up from his seat angrily, "Get out, you nasty monster lover! Don't let the door hit you on the way out." He spoke, his tone filled with venom.

"Fine with me, I don't want to spend another moment in your restaurant of hate." You spat in response.  

You quickly flipped him the bird and stormed out of his office. You walked past all of your 'ex'-coworkers and took a deep breath as you headed to the back door and pushed the door open, walking outside into the open. 

The stars twinkled in the sky brightly and you made your way down the gray sidewalk. You just wanted to get home as soon as possible, you needed to tell Maia about all the crap that's been going on in your life recently. She'd likely scold you for going to the protests in the first place, but it honestly wasn't your fault at all. You had been dragged to those protests by Grace and Audrey, you were only going there to appease them. In reality, you never had felt hate for monsters at all. You had just tried to blend into the crowd which was very wrong of you. You should never pretend to be someone you actually aren't, it really does have some very bad consequences. 

You walked for around ten minutes before you looked up to see a hooded figure leaning against a tree about five minutes from your apartment. Whoever this was, they looked to have malicious intent in mind. Their face was slightly lit up, showing their facial features. That of course was due to them looking down at their phone's lit screen in the dark night.  

As you squinted your eyes to see the person's face in more detail, the light on their phone went off. They stood up straight and you instantly froze right where you had been standing. It felt like your feet had been glued to the sidewalk and you were filled with fear. 

They began to walk closer, taking small strides and you watched them closely. You gulped and finally turned and bolted to make an escape, running the opposite direction. As soon as you started running, they broke into a run as well but, they were faster than you and quickly caught up. This wasn't good, who was this mysterious figure and what did they want? 

You turned down a dark alleyway and continued running, you were hoping and praying you could make it to the back of your apartment before this person caught you. Their footsteps echoed down the alley after your own when suddenly, you were pulled to a stop by your arm. You whipped around to see the figure as they lowered their hood. 

"Aw, sweetheart, there's no reason to run from me~" None other than Austin purred. 

You tore your arm out of his grasp and backed away. "I have every reason to run from you." You responded bitterly which caused him to scowl. 

"Come on, just come to a bar with me and I'll buy you a drink." He spoke and you shook your head. 

"No, I'm going home." You spoke flatly. 

"(y\n), please? You know I'm not gonna stop asking until you go." He responded with an annoyed glance. 

"That's your problem, not mine. I'm not interested, what part of that do you not understand?" You hissed in response. 

He shrunk back for a second and narrowed his eyes. "Well, I'm not giving up until you say yes. What part of that do you not understand?" He spoke darkly which sent a shiver down your spine. 

"I don't know why you're so persistent, a no is a no!" You replied as you took a few more steps back. 

"Well, I don't take 'no' for an answer, ever. I will get my way, (y\n)." He muttered threateningly as he took a few steps forward. 

You stared at him, fear clearly in your (e\c) gaze before you turned and continued running down the dark alleyway. But, this time he luckily didn't follow. As you looked back at him, he just stood there with his hands in his hoodie's pockets, staring at you with a mix of hatred and desire in his olive green gaze. You shook your head and went around a corner, blocking him from your view and vise versa. 

You looked over to see the familiar back of your apartment and you ran to the metal stairs that led to your flat on the third floor of the building. You walked up the steps carefully and when you made it to the top, you put your key in the lock, turned it and walked inside. You locked the door back and walked straight to your room and changed into a black tank and black workout shorts as pajamas. 

You made your way into the kitchen, grabbing one of the cookies Mrs. Agatha made you and flopped down on your couch looking at your phone. You scrolled to Maia in your contacts and pressed the call button and leaned back. You took a bite of the cookie and smiled at it's wonderful taste and relaxed as you waited for your friend to answer the phone call. "I wonder what she needs to tell me..." You wondered out loud. 


	16. "Compadres"

And as the phone rang, you began to get anxious over what Maia would say about the monster incident. You didn't want her to get upset over your actions, you had gotten out of the bad crowd and your ways had changed. Wasn't that enough good to focus on? 

Suddenly, the ringing stopped, "Legion of Doom's phone service, how may we execute you today?" Maia spoke which caused you to giggle. 

"Hey Maia! What's up?" You asked her. 

"The heavens." She replied nonchalantly. 

"Okay, seriously Maia, what did you need to tell me?" You asked her with a chuckle. 

"Okay. You will not believe this!" She started. 

"Ooh, do tell!" You spoke with a smile.

"I'm coming home to visit!" She spoke excitedly and you smiled brightly. 

"Oh my God! When?!" You asked her urgently. 

"In four days! I can't wait to see you, Grace and Audrey! But mostly you, my drama llama!" She replied and you froze, a frown appearing on your face. 

"I can't wait to see you! But uh..." You paused, trying to figure out how you'd explain the whole ordeal with Grace and Audrey. 

"So, Grace, Audrey and I all had a fall out..." You spoke with a hint of sadness to your voice. 

"What?! How'd that happen?" She asked you in surprise. 

"Well, promise you won't hate me for what I did at first, I swear I have changed." You responded nervously. 

"Changed from what? What did you do?" 

"Did you kill one of them?" She asked you almost worriedly. 

"No, no! Grace and Audrey frequently attend monster protests and I got dragged along with them. I went with them to fit in but I really never have hated monsters like they have." You explained quickly. 

"You... attended monster protests?" She responded in a disappointed tone. 

"I only did because they dragged me, I wasn't thinking straight! I'm friends with them now and I even work at a business owned by a monster. I swear I have changed, please don't hate me." You replied guiltily.

"I don't hate you, (Y/N). I believe you. I knew you never hated monsters but, I never knew you were too afraid to admit it. I'm glad you finally came to terms with them, and even befriended one of them. Heck, I myself have even befriended one." She responded. 

"I have actually befriended around three. Sans, Papyrus and Muffet. But, who have you befriended? I'm curious." You asked her in curiosity. 

 

"I have befriended a goat monster named Asgore. As I've heard, he was the former king of the underground, and was married to Queen Toriel." Maia replied. 

"You also mentioned you befriended a monster named Papyrus, no?" She added. 

"Yeah, what about him?" You asked her in response. 

"Well, Asgore has told me that he is great friends with a monster named Papyrus, and is moving back to Ebott City to see him again." Maia explained. 

"So me and him are traveling on the same plane together." She added. 

"Oh, that's so cool! Who knew that our monster buds would be close to each other." You chuckled. 

"I know right?! Looks like our friendship is always connected." She remarked and you let out another chuckle. 

"Well, anyway, Grace and Audrey don't want to see me anymore and they don't want to see you either. They don't like that we have different opinions and honestly, I'm glad to have them out of my life... Even if I do miss them somewhat." You sighed. 

"Hey, remember what I told you? If you don't laugh at the same joke several times, why do you cry over the people who've hurt you several times? I can tell that they hurt you just because you stated your opinion. So that's why you have to let them go. You still have me, and you seem to be making new, and better friends already." Maia replied which made the smile return to your face. 

"You're so right, Maia! Thank you for the kind words." You paused for a few moments. 

"Hey, you wanna know some gossip about them that you likely didn't know though?" You asked her. 

"Sure, why not." She responded. 

"They must have bonded over the protests a lot because, they started dating!" You practically screeched. 

"Oh my God! That's hilarious!" Maia responded before she broke into laughter. 

There was a short pause and after a few seconds, you broke the silence, ready to get this off of your chest. "Okay, so promise me that you won't freak out... But, I kinda have a stalker and I don't know what to do." You confessed.

"Just tell me what he looks like, and I'll find him and punch his face in." She remarked threateningly. 

"Maia, no. I think I just need to be persistent and tell him that I'm not interested. He has to give up eventually, right?" You replied, unsure if he'd actually ever stop without conflict. 

"Alright, but if he gives you any real trouble, Imma punch three holes in him." She replied with a slight growl. 

"The worst he's done is offer to drive me home, or to his u-uh... H-House..." You stuttered. 

She growled, "Never say yes to any of those offers from anyone."

"I know, I'd never accept that offer from anyone I didn't know and trust." You replied with a sigh. 

"A-anyway, so are you staying at my place when you're here?" You quickly asked to change the topic. 

"If you don't mind me staying, otherwise I can find a different place to stay." She responded. 

"I mean, you'd either have to sleep in my bed or on the couch. I'm fine with you staying though. I'm guessing you're staying for a weekend?"

"I don't mind sleeping on the couch. Heck, I'll even sleep on the floor. And, I'll be staying for five days." Maia replied. 

"Ooh, I have my Maia with me for five whole days?" You remarked. 

She chuckled in response, "Yep!"

"Oh my God, I'm so excited! Oh, I quit my job at Harvey's by the way. I forgot to mention that." You told her, curious as to what she'd say about you quitting. 

"What? Why? Did you get a new job?" Maia asked you worriedly. 

"Well, at first I just quit because I wasn't getting paid enough and it was hard to stay afloat with the pittance they gave me... But, I was going to quit tonight and I saw they they had banned monsters from dining there and that pushed me over the edge. Not to mention, my boss tried to fire me for hanging out with some monsters. But yeah, I'm working at a café now." You explained to her. 

"Oh my God, (Y/N)! I'm so proud of you! You know, I never liked the restaurant you worked at. The people there were so snobby." She spoke with distaste of the business. 

"Psh, I know right... There were these two customers tonight that absolutely puzzled me though. Have you heard of a 'Mr. Smith'?" You asked hoping she'd know something. 

It seemed that Maia knew a lot of people around Mt. Ebott, she always knew the cool people back in school and back when she still lived here she could name at least fifty-two percent of the population. But, she moved away and you ended up in a different part of Ebott City, so who knew if she'd know that odd charmer.  

 

"Oh no, please tell me he hasn't tried anything on you. That man is like a tiger." She remarked. 

"He and his son kinda flirted with me, but once I asked them to stop, they did." You replied. 

"Oh good, I don't want you to be harassed anymore." She spoke with a sigh of relief. 

"He actually seems somewhat nice... Not the other guy though, he just won't back the hell off no matter how many times I ask him to." You responded. 

"Well, men are jerks. Some of 'em anyways." Maia replied. 

"Hah, I guess you're right. But, Papyrus is a very nice fellow." You commented. 

Papyrus was a really nice guy and you were thankful to have him as a friend. You had almost forgotten that you two had ever had any tension between each other.  It was like he really, really cared about your well being and that was a great feeling.  

"That's why I said some of them. Asgore's a nice man as well." She responded. 

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, I'm really looking forward to seeing you!" You exclaimed. 

"I can't wait to see you too! We have so much to catch up on!" Maia responded. 

"Yeah, we really do! Well, it's almost twelve in the morning now and I'm pooped, so I'm going to have to say goodnight." You told her with a yawn. 

"Goodnight, Maia! I hope you sleep well!" You added quickly after you finished yawning. 

"Goodnight, my drama llama!" She replied. 

You giggled, "Bye!" 

And with your final goodbye, you hung up the call with a smile and set your phone on the side of the couch. You sat up sleepily and stretched, today was really tiring and you were completely bushed. You were glad you had a few days to adjust, you needed to alter your sleep schedule slightly to wake up earlier and go to bed earlier as well. But, tomorrow you are going to let yourself sleep as long as you need to. After all, you have gone through a lot of emotional stress today. 

You scooped up your phone, walked to your bed, plugged it in on the charger and flopped onto the soft mattress. You happily crawled under the soft (f\c) sheets and snuggled up into the warm covers. You closed your eyes and fell asleep rather quickly, today must have really tired you out more than you had even expected. 

\--------------------------------------------

You were suddenly awoken by the sound of your phone ringing, you sat up in your bed and unplugged your phone from the charger and answered it sleepily, without even bothering to look at the caller ID. 

"Hello?" You spoke sleepily before you let out a big yawn. 

"GOOD MORNING (Y\N)!!!" Sans' loud voice called which made you flinch and quickly hold the phone away from your ear.  

"Oh, hey Sans... What's up?" You asked him drowsily. 

"WELL, I WANTED TO INVITE YOU TO MY BIRTHDAY PARTY IN THREE DAYS!" Sans exclaimed excitedly. 

"Sure Sans, I guess I can come." You agreed without even really thinking about what you were saying. 

"THAT'S GREAT! YOU CAN MEET ALL MY FRIENDS AND WE CAN ALL STUFF OUR FACES WITH TACOS! THIS'LL BE GREAT!" Sans shouted happily. 

You were now holding the phone around four inches away from your ear, it was almost like you had your phone on speaker he was speaking that loudly. 

"Yeah, that sounds great, Sans." You yawned. 

"ALRIGHT! WELL, PAPY AND I WILL SEE YOU THEN. GOODBYE, (Y\N)!" He exclaimed before he quickly hung up the phone. 

"Goodbye?" You spoke before you realized he had already hung up. 

You looked at your phone screen and squinted at its brightness, it was roughly seven in the morning. You weren't ready to get up and deal with today's crap yet, so you set your phone back down and flopped back down on your pillow, closing your eyes once again. You slowly began to drift back into a deep sleep and yawned one more time before you finally fell into a deep slumber. 


	17. "Chocolatey Confections"

Your eyes quickly flicked open and you jerked awake, what time was it? You looked towards the window and the light from the unclosed blinds momentarily blinded you and you looked away. You clumsily picked up your phone to see you had twelve unread texts. Eight from Sans, three from Papyrus and one from Maia.  

Maia's read the following, "Hey, drama llama! You better have some brownies for me! Otherwise I'm dragging you with me to the bakery to get some." 

You chuckled and responded with a quick, "Ya got it, broski." before you looked through the rest of your texts. You began to look at the long list of texts from Sans and chuckled. 

This is what they all read. 

"HEY (Y\N), YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET ME A GIFT, BY THE WAY!" 

"WELL, UNLESS YOU WANT TO... IN THAT CASE, GO AHEAD!"

"BUT HONESTLY, YOUR PRESENCE IS ENOUGH OF A GIFT FOR ME!" 

"OH, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MEET ALL OF MY OTHER FRIENDS!" 

"THIS IS SO EXCITING! I'M SURE CHARA WILL LOVE YOU! I MEAN, THEY'RE A FELLOW HUMAN TOO!" 

"(Y\N)? ARE YOU OKAY?" 

"OH! YOU MUST BE SLEEPING!!!" 

"I'M SO SORRY IF I WOKE YOU UP! SLEEP WELL!"

You smiled at how apologetic he was and texted him back a rather simple response, "I was asleep, but there's no reason to apologize. It's all good, Sans." 

You went back to your texts and clicked on Papyrus' name. You quickly scanned through his texts and couldn't help but laugh when you saw the first one. Here is what they all said. 

"hey kid, they have a new flavor of honey at muffet's now. i tried it today and damn, it's really good. it's honey blended with cinnamon and honestly, it's so much better than that sriracha flavored honey alphys pranked me with that one time." 

"oh, thanks for acceptin' my bro's invitation to his party. he's really happy that you'll be there, so thanks for brightening his day." 

"(y/n), it's 12:30 now, ya okay? ya haven't replied to my bro's or my texts." 

You froze and your eyes glanced at the time, twelve thirty-six.... You slept past twelve in the afternoon?! 

You sprang out of bed, nearly dropping your phone in the process and ran into the bathroom to take a quick shower. You quickly wrote Papyrus a response that read "Yeah, I accidentally slept in later than intended, sorry." before you set your phone on the counter and prepared to take a shower. 

\---------------------------------------------

You quickly got into your outfit of the day which consisted of a (f/c) t-shirt, a gray zip up hoodie and denim shorts before you ran into the kitchen. You quickly made yourself a cup of green tea rather than coffee and began to drink it. You looked around your kitchen, only to discover you needed to go to the grocery store again. You groaned and walked to your counter, grabbing the second to last snickerdoodle cookie and began to eat it for breakfast since you had nothing else.  

You grabbed  piece of paper and quickly wrote down what you needed from the store. That included toothpaste, dental floss, bread, coffee packets, eggs, some pasta noodles, cheese, milk and a box of frozen waffles. You thought for a few more moments, trying to figure out if you needed anything else but you couldn't think of anything so you folded up the list and slid it into your pocket. 

You took a sip of your tea and set the mug down before you took another bite of the cookie when your phone buzzed in your pocket. You pulled it out and looked at the screen, you had a text from Papyrus again. "heh, you're startin' to sound like me, kiddo." it said. 

You smiled and replied, "I was up late night due to work and talking to a friend on the phone once I got home, this week has been emotionally exhausting for me." you pressed send and he instantly started texting back, as shown by the symbol on the corner of your screen. 

After a minute or so, his new message popped up. "well, sleep is an important thing to get, especially when ya have emotional strain. just remember to relax, tomorrow's always a new day." He wrote. 

"Thank you very much, Papyrus. I'm guessing you have dealt with lots of emotional issues in your life?' You asked him. 

It took him a while to type his message out, but he eventually replied with "yeah, back in the underground i went though some anxiety which soon changed into extreme apathy once i realized i couldn't do anything about what had caused my anxiety. and well, i ended up developing severe depression which i still have to this day, i just have ways to deal with it now."  

Papyrus must've gone through something really traumatic to cause that many disorders to appear. You couldn't even imagine what could cause anxiety, apathy and depression. It just seemed like it must have been extremely bad. 

"You're doing better now, right?" You texted him before you turned took the last bite of your cookie. 

You also quickly finished your tea when he wrote back, "yeah, i'm doin' a lot better now. don't worry, kiddo." 

Even if he told you not to worry, you worried about him regardless. You just really liked him as a person and you don't want him to live in a gloomy world. But, you pushed your worry aside for his sakes and wrote him with a quick goodbye text. "Well, I need to run around town now. I'll text you later, it was fun talking!" 

"alright, (y\n), stay safe. i had fun talkin' to ya as well." He replied. 

You quickly sent him a heart emoji back before you closed your phone and slid it into your pocket. You went over and grabbed your bag and walked out of your apartment, down the stairs all the way to the front door. Once you made it to the door, you opened it and walked outside. The busy midday traffic rushed by on Clique street and you were somewhat thankful you didn't have a car to go through this mess today. It seemed everyone was rushing to get their lunches before their lunch breaks were over. The cars speeding by were almost a blur as you started walking the opposite direction.

So, all you had to do today was go to the grocery store? Well, it would be fun to go get some art supplies, but sadly enough, you'd need to have someone drive you to go there because it was at least a 10 mile walk. You didn't want to walk 2 hours there and two hours back just to get some new pencils and maybe a new art book. Perhaps you could go when Maia was here. Actually, that was a brilliant idea. You two could go and get some art supplies together. You're sure she'd absolutely love going shopping with you.

But, now isn't the time to think about that, you need to focus on getting your groceries so you can come home and enjoy your next few days off. So, you continued walking down the gray sidewalk and when you reached the end of the sidewalk, you looked both ways before crossing the street. You jogged across the pavement and got to the other side before you saw Queen Toriel walking up ahead with a young child in a green sweater that had a yellow stripe across their chest. 

She was holding their hand as she led them into a chocolate shop. And as you walked past, you saw the child running around excitedly as Toriel watched them with a happy smile. Their short brown hair bobbed up and down as they ran to a shelf. They jumped up and down pointing at a chocolate bar on the top of a shelf and Toriel walked over to the child. 

You walked into the store, the smell of freshly made chocolates was absolutely heavenly and you suddenly began craving an éclair of all things. So, you walked over to the glass display and bent down to look at all the chocolatey goodness. The child rushed over next to you and pressed their hands against the glass. "Mom, can I get one of those?" The child asked as they turned to face Queen Toriel. They were pointing at a fudge bar and she nodded. "If that's what you'd like, then of course!" She replied with a happy smile. 

You continued looking through the case until you spotted the éclairs. You stood up straight and when you looked up, you saw one of the employees walking forward. As soon as your eyes met, your heart dropped. It was none other than Austin. You were about to turn and leave when you saw his lips twist into a wide grin. "Misses, did you want anything?" He asked you. 

"No thanks... I think I'll just go get something somewhere else." You spoke nervously. 

"Well, my child and I are ready to check out." Toriel responded as she began to dig through her purse. 

Austin's lips formed a scowl but he didn't say anything negative. "Alright, what would you and your child like?" He asked them. 

"We'll take a fudge bar and some mint chocolate bark." Toriel replied as she continued digging through her bag. 

Austin pulled them out of the glass casing and put them into bags, "Will that be cash or credit, ma'am?" He asked her. 

"Aw, fiddlesticks... It seems I left my wallet at home. I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I can't get you this today." Toriel apologized as she reached her paw out for the young child to hold. The child frowned and their shoulders slumped before they nodded sadly. 

After a moment of hesitation, you dug through you own bag and pulled out your wallet, slamming a ten dollar bill on the counter. "Don't worry Queen Toriel, I've got it." You assured her and Austin smiled mischievously. 

"Alright misses, whenever somebody pays with cash though, we need a phone number. So will you please give let me know what it is?" Austin told you as he looked up at you with a devious glint in his eyes. 

You froze for a second before you sighed and nodded, giving him your phone number in defeat. He pressed it into the computer and put the ten dollars in the cash register, giving you four dollars in return. He reached over and handed Toriel and the young child their bags and they smiled brightly. "Thank you so much, Miss!" The child exclaimed excitedly before they ran over and hugged your leg. You patted their head, "It's no problem at all. Enjoy!" You replied to them with a weak smile.  

Queen Toriel walked over and hugged you, "Thank you very much, your kindness is much appreciated... Now Chara and I must get going, their adoptive father is coming back Saturday and they want to make him tons of surprises before he comes back. I do hope you have a good week, farewell again, kind stranger." Toriel replied before she pulled away and led Chara outside. 

You smiled for only mere seconds before you heard a whistle and you turned to see Austin grinning over at you. "You know, you have a beautiful smile. You should smile more often, sweetheart." He purred. Austin winked at you as he ran a hand through his spiky blonde hair and he stared over at you intently. His olive green gaze wandered all the way from your eyes to your feet before his gaze snapped back to your own. 

"Hm, you look quite cute today, (Y\N)..." He murmured as he stared over at your (e/c) gaze. 

You took a couple steps back and he walked out from behind the counter, heading towards you. He looked up at the security camera in the corner of the room before he reached in his pocket, pulling out a remote and pressing a button carefully before he continued walking closer. You quickly turned to run out the door but he was faster and grabbed you by the shoulders before you could open it. He pulled you closer to him and wrapped his arms around your waist. "Where do you think you're going, babe?" He asked you with a chuckle which caused you to freeze in a panic.


	18. "Cadillacs and Cologne"

You rapidly began trying to pull away out of Austin's grasp but it only tightened and he laid his chin on your shoulder. "I don't think you're going anywhere, pretty lady." He purred which only made you attempt to pull away harder. 

In the middle of the panic, you began to remember what you were taught to do when you were young. If you were to ever be grabbed by a stranger, your parents had told you to scream. To scream as loud as you could so someone could come to your rescue. So, you started to scream which startled Austin and he jumped somewhat before he moved a hand to cover your mouth. You of course bit his hand which caused him to yelp in surprise, jerking his hand away from your mouth, giving you time to yell, "Help, help!" at the top of your lungs. 

He angrily turned you towards him, his olive green gaze burning into your own (e\c) eyes. "If you scream one more time, you're dead. Got it?!" He hissed and you gulped, nodding your head in understanding. 

He placed a hand on your cheek and tears began to forming in your eyes, "Don't be sad..." He spoke softly as you tried to jerk away again. He gently caressed your cheek and you fought back at the tears that wanted to escape from your eyes. 

Suddenly, the door to the shop opened and Austin's face whipped over to see who it was. He held you even tighter, unsure of who it was, you decided to risk it and ask for help. 

"Help... Whoever you are... Please help..." You choked out. 

There was dead silence for a few moments before you heard dress shoes click against the tile floor. They stopped a couple feet away from you. "Alright, dipshit. Let her go, or there will be consequences." A deep voice spoke and Austin suddenly let go of you. You quickly ran away, tears running down your cheeks and you looked to see your savior. 

Your eyes widened in surprise when you saw none other than the suited detective named Mr. Smith holding out his gun, pointing it at Austin. He looked at you and winked before he turned his gaze back to Austin. 

"Look man, she's my girlfriend. I don't know why she was screaming for help." Austin lied, putting his hands up in the air so Mr. Smith wouldn't shoot him. 

"Your lies aren't getting past me. Stay away from Misses (L\N) or I will make sure you have a rough trial and a long jail sentence." Mr. Smith spat in response. 

You were shaking and you quickly hid behind Mr. Smith. The two men glared at each other, Mr. Smith was around three inches taller than Austin so he could stare down at him intimidatingly. Austin took a few steps backwards. 

"Who do you think you are bursting in during such an intimate moment?" Austin challenged the suited man and he let out a chuckle in response. 

Mr. Smith pulled back his suit coat to show off the badge on his belt, "Head detective at Mt. Ebott Police. Who do you think you are, smartass?" He challenged right back. 

Austin shrunk back when he heard Mr. Smith was in the police and fell dead silent. You peeked around Mr. Smith to see Austin biting his tongue to keep from saying anything harmful to his case. When he saw you looking at him, his gaze met yours for only a split second before he broke eye contact. 

"O-oh, I'm so s-sorry sir..." He stuttered out which made Mr. Smith lean on one leg. Austin looked up at Mr. Smith's cool gray gaze and shrunk back even more. 

Noah Smith took his gun and tucked it back into its holster before he reached behind himself, reaching out for your hand.  "If I hear of you trying to touch anyone ever again without consent, I won't be as kind nor as just. Got it, asshole?" He hissed and Austin nodded rapidly as you held Mr. Smith's hand. 

Mr. Smith gave him one last threatening glance before he gently held your hand, "You have everything you need, right?" he asked you and you nodded. 

Mr. Smith led you outside and looked around the busy street. "Are you okay, (Y\N)?" He asked you as soon as he had led you out of sight from Austin. You shook your head slightly, you were still shivering and he nodded. "That was a very traumatic experience, it's normal to be in shock after it happens." He spoke almost emotionlessly. 

You blinked in surprise at his monotone voice but just nodded slightly. "C-Can... M-may I have a hug?" You asked him nervously.

He silently stood there for a moment before he nodded reluctantly. "Alright, as you wish." He replied as he held out his arms which you appreciated greatly. You quickly wrapped your arms tightly around his torso and laid your head on his chest. His arms wrapped around you in return, but not as tightly. His body was warm and his blue suit was actually quite comfy and soft. 

He smelled of cologne, a nice and expensive cologne that was actually rather nice. It had a pleasant sweet and spicy smell to it and it comforted you as you hugged the suited detective. Eventually, realizing you'd been hugging the man way too long for comfort, you pulled away. "Thank you..." You spoke softly. 

"Of course, I'm only doing my duty to protect and serve." He replied with a slight shrug before he turned, grabbing your hand again and leading you forwards. 

"Excuse me, Mr. Smith, but where exactly are you supposed to be taking me?" You asked him as you cocked your head to one side. 

He paused for a second and looked over to you, "I have the rest of today off and I figured that you should get a proper ride home. You've been through a lot today and I don't think it's safe for you to walk home alone." He replied. 

"Wait, how did you know that I don't have a car?" You asked him suspiciously before you pulled your hand out of his grasp. 

He was frozen for mere seconds before he just shrugged. "I just remembered that you sold your car to my used car business a year or two back. And you didn't stop me when we began walking together, therefore, I assumed you didn't have a car to drive you home still." He replied. 

"Well, alright... But, is it possible that you give me a drive to the grocery store and then you take me home?" You asked him pleadingly. 

A slight smile formed on his lips and it made you feel almost uncomfortable. Could you really trust this man? What if he was really just like Austin? 

He ran his right hand through his hair and nodded, "Of course, (Y\N). It'd be my pleasure." he spoke in an almost silky, smooth voice. 

You figured that you could trust him if he was in the police, no matter how sketchy he seemed to be. Unless, he was a crooked cop who wanted you to himself and didn't like Austin's hands on his lady. 

 

... 

 

You silently thanked your mind sarcastically for just making you even more anxious over this man. Sure, he has quite the handsome physique, a good mind, a great job and it seemed like a fair bit of money as well, but he seemed like he abused all this and used them for all the wrong reasons. 

  "Alright, well, follow me, pretty lady. My car isn't far." He replied before he turned and started walking down the sidewalk again. You followed after him and quickly caught up to his fast pace. "Why are you so willing to help me?" You asked him in confusion. 

"Well, I see a fair damsel in distress and I just have to help." He purred which caused you to roll your eyes. 

"Alright, well... Thank you, Mr. Smith." You thanked him and he nodded in response as you both walked to a clean black Cadillac parked in front of some fancy sandwich shop. 

Mr. Smith reached in his pants pocket and pulled out a key fob, unlocking his car before tucking the key back in his pocket. He took your hand again gently as he led you to his car. He opened the car door for you and stepped to the side before adjusting his light blue tie. Looking over at the car, you realized this was the most expensive car you have ever ever had the possibility of riding in. Cadillacs tend to be very expensive and only someone with a good salary could ever afford one. That explains why Mr. Smith has one for sure. 

You walked to the car and sat in the passenger side's black leather seat. It was quite cool and Mr. Smith gently shut your door gentlemanly like before he walked to his side of the car. He opened his door, climbing in his seat and putting the key into the ignition. He shut the car door, checked his mirrors and looked to you. His gray gaze was cool and it shined in what light was coming through the tinted glass windows of his car. "Alright, Misses. What grocery store do you go to?" He asked you calmly.

"Ferie Dane Fresh Market." You replied to him. 

"You go there of all places? That's the most run down grocery store in Ebott City." Mr. Smith remarked and you shrugged. 

"You've got to remember, Mr. Smith, that not everyone has as much money as you do." You told him flatly and he sat still for a few seconds while looking into your (e\c) gaze. He blinked a few times before he started his car and checked his blindspots. After that, he started to drive to your desired location. 

You watched the cars go by on the opposite side of the road when you set your bag at your feet. There was silence present for about two minutes until Mr. Smith finally broke the silence with a question that didn't surprise you whatsoever, "Do you have anyone special in your life, yet?" he asked as he turned down Forrest Road. One hand was placed on the steering wheel and the other was in his lap as he made the turn, showing you he was a very confident driver. 

"No, not yet." You replied to him. 

"Are you looking for someone?" He asked you as he kept his eyes on the road ahead. 

"Not really, I'll date when I find the right person." You replied before your eyes wandered over to his face. He had a 5 o'clock shadow starting to appear on his face and once he noticed you looking at him, he quickly glanced at you. "Like what you see?" He asked which quickly made you look away, a faint blush creeping upon your face and he chuckled. 

"There's no reason to be bashful. It's normal for ladies to look at attractive men. Hell, sometimes it's almost involuntary." He spoke to you as he turned his gray gaze back to the road. 

The fact that he had just insinuated that he was attractive made you wonder how full of himself this man was. You mean, it's good that he has self confidence and all but that just seemed like a really narcissistic thing to say. If he was a narcissist, that wouldn't surprise you whatsoever. He actually seemed like quite the egotistical creep. You assumed he had gotten proud of himself over his status someday and hadn't changed. Well, he has a child, right? Noah Jr. even said he didn't have a mom... What was up with that? Was he ever married? Did something happen after a divorce that made him become the charmer he is today? 

You decided to ask him some questions now, "Well, do you have anybody special in your life, Mr. Smith?" you asked him.

He appeared to be thinking for a few moments before a grin formed on his lips, "I have you~" he purred which sent a shiver down your spine. "But Mr. Smith, we're not a couple..." You managed to mutter. 

"We don't have to be." He spoke with that same grin on his face.

"Mr. Smith, please. I'm not interested." You replied as he turned into the driveway to the grocery store. 

"Alright, if you ever change your mind, you know where I am~" He replied smoothly as he pulled into a parking space, putting his car into park. 

This was for sure going to be a long grocery shopping trip. You swore if he insisted you get an eggplant, you'd just walk directly out of the store right then and there. You weren't there to hear his inappropriate euphemisms nor his bad innuendos, after all. 

He climbed out of his car, taking the keys out of the ignition before he shut his door and walked to yours. You were still slightly nervous and worried, but even if Mr. Smith was sketchy as hell, he gave you a sense of security. You felt like nobody could harm you while he was around. Perhaps he wasn't that bad after all and just misunderstood greatly. Then again, Maia's comparison to him being like a tiger was scarily accurate. He did pounce on every prime opportunity that he had to flirt. But, he wasn't anything like Austin, so you really shouldn't complain. At least he had saved you from that deviant, Austin. That is something you felt like you should thank him for. If he hadn't showed up, you don't know what would've happened to you. In fact, you didn't even want to think about it. You just wanted to shop and then go home. That's all you ever really wanted to do today.


	19. "Old Spice Makes Everything Nice"

Mr. Smith opened your car door and you got out, grabbing your bag and looking up at the taller man. He took your hand and you closed the car door before he began to lead you to the small store's entrance. He looked at you for a second while you walked and a smile formed on his lips. "You'll definitely be the prettiest produce in this store." He remarked and you looked at him with a surprised expression which caused him to chuckle. 

You suppressed a gag, "Mr. Smith, I don't think I could fit on the shelves." You laughed nervously. He was about to speak when you quickly pulled him forward into the store. "Please behave." You pleaded. He chuckled, "I'm not well known for behaving, but I'll try." he replied with a wink. You let out an angry grunt and you speedily grabbed a shopping basket before quickly storming away. 

You heard his dress shoes following you, but he wasn't making too big of an effort to catch up. You grabbed a box of toothpaste and a package of dental floss before walking and seeing your favorite shampoo was on sale. It was a bottle of Dove and it was scented like pomegranate with a hint of lemon. Mr. Smith finally caught up and his gray gaze looked around at all the Shampoos. He let out a 'hmm' and picked up a bottle of Old Spice. He flipped open the cap and sniffed it before closing it. "Swagger is so much better than Desperado." He remarked. 

You paused and looked at him blankly, processing what he had just said. "You use Old Spice, don't you?" You asked him and he smirked. "Of course, why do you ask?" He asked you and you shrugged. "It just doesn't surprise me at all. I can totally see you as being an Old Spice fan." You replied before you grabbed a bottle of your shampoo off the shelf, placing it in your basket. 

He put the Old Spice bottle back up, "Oh really? Care to explain why?" he spoke, his voice loosing that silky smooth tone you had come to recognize. You looked to see him leaning against a pole in the middle of the aisle. His arms were crossed and his gray gaze was rested on you and you couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.  

"I guess it's because Old Spice is a stereotypical womanizer's favorite shampoo? I mean,  most attractive men probably use old spice." You responded before you realized you'd accidentally just called him attractive.

"(Y/N), did you just call me attractive?" Mr. Smith asked in surprise. 

"Uhhh, I guess I did?" You responded nervously before quickly turning and walking to the next aisle you needed to go to, the hot beverage isle. You heard him following after you yet again, only quicker this time. 

You swore under your breath and quickly grabbed a box of coffee, throwing it into your basket before continuing to the next aisle. Mr. Smith was catching up quickly, the pitter patter of his dress shoes were getting closer and closer with every step. You took a deep breath and turned around to face him. "Mr.  Smith, please." You sighed as you shook your head. He looked at you innocently and just held up his hands. "I was only following you, (Y/N)." He replied. 

You shook your head, "I don't like you romantically, Mr. Smith. You're a pretty cool guy, but kinda old for me and I'm not interested in dating at the moment. I thank you for saving me and for driving me here, but please understand that I'm not interested in you." You explained to him.

He nodded, "I understand, misses." the tall man replied as he put his hands in his pockets. You blinked in surprise, surely that wouldn't be it, right? You doubted it, but maybe he'd stop flirting with you for a bit. 

You turned and continued walking. You went down the pasta aisle, picking up two packets of (f\f) ramen and a box of spaghetti noodles. You placed them in the shopping basket and made your way to the freezer section. In order to do this, you walked out of the front of the pasta aisle and started walking towards the left end of the store. 

"Sweets, do you need help carrying your basket?" Mr. Smith asked you. You were about to deny his offer when you thought about it. If he was busy holding your basket, maybe he wouldn't be too prone to flirt. So, you agreed and held your basket up for him to take. He put his hand onto yours  from underneath the handle while you were still holding onto it and lifted your hand and the basket upwards ever so slightly. He leaned down and kissed your hand making you blush in surprise. 

All of the sudden, you heard something drop in the aisle you two were standing in front of. You tore your hand away from Mr. Smith and looked to see someone that you really didn't want to see you with Noah Smith. It was Papyrus and he was looking at the two of you in shock, his jaw gaped open in shock. A honey bottle was now on the floor and Mr. Smith watched the new character suspiciously. 

"H-hey Papyrus! I-it's not what it looks like, I s-swear!" You stuttered out nervously. 

Papyrus just stared blankly at you and the suited detective for a few seconds before he uttered a simple, "what the hell?"

You looked back at him, smiling nervously as he stuffed his hands in his orange hoodie's pockets. He walked over slowly and lifted a 'bone brow' at you and Mr. Smith. "so, i guess your business card trick worked, huh?" He asked Mr. Smith and he shook his head. "Nope, Miss (Y\N) has kept the same persistence since we met." Mr. Smith spoke as he adjusted his tie. 

"and how exactly did you end up following her like a lost puppy then? oh, and don't forget the kiss on the hand." Papyrus replied, suspicion present in his voice. 

"Well, I don't really want to be here, but I kinda had to come after she was nearly ki-" Mr. Smith started before you jabbed him in the arm with your elbow signalling him to shut up. 

"Nearly kicked by a robber." You finished for him, hoping it sounded truthful and that he wouldn't see past your lie. 

"kicked by... a robber?" Papyrus didn't seem very convinced. 

"Yeah, uh. Some kid came up and tried to snatch my bag and when I wouldn't let go, he almost kicked me." You started. 

"But, Mr. Smith came along and scared him off. Since I was pretty shaken, he offered to take me home so I wouldn't have to walk alone. And well, I said I had to come here... So, he was being a gentleman and said he'd take me." You finished. It wasn't an exact lie. Some of it was true, after all. 

"(y/n), is that really what happened?" He asked you with his arms now crossed. You bit your lip, you hated lying to him, but you didn't want to worry him about Austin. So, you nodded your head and he let out a sigh. "i know you're hiding something, (y/n). i doubt it's anything with the crooked cop, but i want you to know that you can tell me anything." He spoke with a deep breath. 

"Okay, Mr. Overgrown Carrot,  I can back up her story if you'd like me to." Mr. Smith replied, his cold gaze looking into Papyrus'. 

Papyrus let out a sigh, "no, it's fine... i don't exactly believe that story, but i'll let it slide. just... don't hurt her. if you do, you won't like what comes next." Papyrus replied to him, his eye sockets narrowing. 

"Did you just threaten a police officer without any weapon?" Mr. Smith asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"yeah, i did." Papyrus replied and Mr. Smith was about to reply when you suddenly heard fast footsteps running towards you. "(Y\N)!!!" Sans' cheery voice called. You set your basket down just in time for the skeleton to jump into your arms in utter excitement. Stars filled the irises in his eye sockets as he hugged you. "I MISSED YOU SO MUCH! IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN FOREVER SINCE I LAST SAW YOU!" He spoke with a wide smile. 

You chuckled, your mood instantly improving. Mr. Smith took a step away from the energetic skeleton and Papyrus smirked. "Sans, it's only been two or three days since I last saw you." You chuckled. "SURE, BUT IT FELT LIKE WEEKS! DAYS! MILLENNIA!" He exclaimed with passion. 

"bro, did it really feel like one thousand years to you?" Papyrus asked his little brother, hands back in his pockets. He was back to his normal relaxed self. He was slouched over somewhat as he watched his brother's crazy antics enfold with interest. 

"WELL, IN A WAY YES! BUT TECHNICALLY NO... I'M JUST SO EXCITED TO SEE HER!" Sans replied as he clapped his bony hands together. 

You smiled and Papyrus chuckled. "well, i missed her too bro. but, we need to hurry along on our shopping trip. remember, we're watching chara tonight with undyne and alphys." Papyrus told Sans and he frowned. "CAN (Y/N) NOT JOIN IN ON THE FUN?" he asked. "i think she's quite busy, bro. but, why don't ya ask 'er?" Papyrus suggested and Sans nodded. "GREAT IDEA, BROTHER! HUMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME OVER TONIGHT? WE'LL BE MAKING TACOS, WATCHING ANIME AND BATTLE TRAINING!" He asked with a wide smile. You shook your head, "I don't think I can come. I'm sorry." You apologized. He frowned, looking down sadly. "IT'S OKAY..." He sighed. 

"hey bro, at least she can come to your party on friday, right?" Papyrus pointed out in order to cheer his little brother up. And he must be very skilled at just that, because Sans' mood quickly brightened yet again. "OH YES! I'M SO EXCITED FOR THAT!" Sans loudly exclaimed which made Mr. Smith step back again. 

"WAIT, WHO'S THAT? IS THAT YOUR BOYFRIEND, (Y\N)?" Sans asked you and you nearly choked. 

"No!" You exclaimed. 

"no, no, no. heck to the no!" Papyrus remarked. 

"I don't do that 'dating' thing." Mr. Smith spoke with distaste. 

"and this is why nobody likes you." Papyrus muttered under his breath. 

Sans got down from your arms and walked closer to Mr. Smith, his skull didn't even reach Mr. Smith's shoulders. Noah was around 6'3" and Sans was around 5'0" or 5'1" which meant Mr. Smith and Papyrus were practically giants to him. But, Sans was kind of like a Chihuahua. He somehow seemed to think he was as big as everyone else, like most toy dog breeds do. 

Sans studied the suited detective and tapped his phalanges on his chin. "WELL, I DON'T REALLY LIKE HIM ANYWAY. HE SEEMS LIKE A PERVERT AND I'D SUGGEST YOU STAY AWAY FROM HIM, (Y/N)!" Sans remarked which made all three of you to look at him in surprise. 

"HM? IS SOMETHING WRONG?" Sans asked worriedly and Papyrus shook his head, "nah, bro." he replied. 

"WELL, IN THAT CASE... I HAVE A BALLOON TO GET!" Sans replied as he skipped away. 

"i think sans and i agree then, you should stay away from this... deviant. we can take you home." Papyrus told you as he held out his hand for you to take. 

"Papyrus, you're doing the judging thing again." You told him and he sighed. "please just let us take you home?" He pleaded and you thought for a second. "I'm sorry Sir, but she already has a ride, and I promise that I won't do anything to her." Mr. Smith promised and Papyrus groaned. 

"Papyrus, he offered first, so I'm gonna go with him." You sighed after a while which made Papyrus nod in defeat. "alright, (y/n)..." He sighed as he turned to walk back to the aisle he was on but you quickly ran and hugged him from behind. He stiffened up at this, his back still to you. "Thank you so much for the offer, Papyrus. I hope you and Sans have fun with your friends tonight." You told him before you pulled away. 

He straightened and turned back, giving you a weak grin whilst his face was a light tangerine in color. "thanks kid, stay safe!" He spoke in response before he picked up what he had dropped earlier. You nodded and you saw that Mr. Smith was now holding your basket. "Let's go." He spoke with a nod and you both walked to get the rest of the items that you needed. 

\---------------------------------------------

Mr. Smith pulled up to your apartments and parallel parked between two of your neighbor's cars. He leaned back in his seat and looked over to you. "Well, welcome home." He spoke with a nod and you smiled. You opened the door of his Cadillac and swung your legs out before climbing out onto the curb. You turned back around and saw him watching you calmly. 

"Thank you very much for helping me out with my errands." You thanked him and he nodded. "It was my pleasure." He responded with a smile. You grabbed all of your bags and were about to say goodbye when he spoke first. "Listen, if that vacuous creep ever tries anything with you again, contact me or the police taskforce immediately. We don't want you getting hurt, do we?" He spoke and you shook your head. "No Sir, I guess we don't." You sighed with a half-hearted smile. 

"Good. Well if you need anything else, you have my number." He replied and you nodded. He winked at you as you closed the car door and he unrolled the window. "Have a good night." He told you and you smiled. "You too, Mr. Smith." You responded and he chuckled deeply. "Oh trust me, I will. See you around, hun."  He spoke and you waved as he pulled away from the curb, driving off. You looked around at the buildings on your street, Austin was nowhere in sight which gave you hope to think that Mr. Smith had actually scared him off for good. 

So, you ran up the steps to your apartment, fumbled with your keys, unlocked the door and went inside your apartment complex. You were greeted with a woman you'd never seen here before. She had black knee-high converse boots, straight black hair, thick black glasses, black skinny jeans with rips in them, a black blouse, piercing green eyes and a black and white plaid shirt tied around her waist. She was heading down the stairs, an iPhone in a black case in her hand. 

"Oh, hello! Are you new to the building?" You asked her, trying to be friendly. 

As soon as you'd caught her attention, she looked up at you, quickly putting her phone into her pocket. She had black lipstick on and black cateye eyeliner that was neatly done. A smile formed on her lips, "Uh, no. I've lived here for around six months." She replied. "Oh, odd that I'm just now meeting you." You commented and she chuckled. "I'm an online blogger so I only get out to shop and take pictures." She explained.

"Oh, well it's nice to meet you! My name's (Y\N) and I live on the third floor." You introduced yourself. 

"The name's Evony Mallory. I live on the fourth floor on the left." She replied with a dip of her head. 

You froze, wondering what her opinions on monsters was. You didn't want another Grace and Audrey experience, so you quickly gathered up the courage to ask her. "Hey, what's your opinion on the monsters?" You asked her almost suddenly and she lifted a eyebrow. "Why do you ask?" She asked in return. "Well, you see, I'm a friend of them and my last friends kinda abandoned me for it." You explained and she blinked in surprise. 

"Who the hell would ever do that?! I'm a firm supporter, man! Monsters are so damn cool!" Evony remarked and you smiled. "Yeah, the monsters have actually proved to be so much nicer than my ex-friends." You agreed and she nodded. 

"Well, I need to get going now... But would you like to exchange phone numbers just in case you don't see me come down from my apartment again?" She chuckled.  

”I'd love to!" You replied and you both traded phones before you wrote each other's phone numbers in both of your contacts. You both quickly finished and handed the other their phone back. "I'll talk to you later, (Y/N)" Evony told you with a smile and you waved. "Talk to you later!" You spoke as she walked out the door and you headed up all three flights of stairs to your apartment. You unlocked the door, closed it back after you walked in and walked to the kitchen to put the groceries away. 

After ten minutes or so, you finished putting everything away and decided to make yourself one of the packets of ramen. As you stood there stirring the noodles, your phone went off in your pocket. You expected it to be Papyrus, Sans or Evony but when you looked at your phone, it was from an unknown number. You clicked on the text curiously to read it and wondered who it could possibly be. 

"Heya babe, welcome home. Oh, and you may not have expected me to ever contact you again. But hun, I'm not giving up just yet." The text read.

 

 

((Warning: Possible Trigger Warning))

 

 

Your heart instantly dropped and you started shaking. You suddenly began to feel like the entire world was crashing down on you. Austin hadn't given up, even after being threatened with a legitimate weapon. And now the creepy stalker was back at it again. Not to mention, now he had your phone number so he could write you at any time. You shakily put your phone down on the counter and let out a ragged breath. 

You slid your hands underneath the hair on your head and you trembled at the thought of what he'd do if you came across him again. It was getting harder and harder to breathe with every thought that crossed your mind about Austin. You were getting short of breath and starting to feel tears brimming in your eye sockets when you nearly fell onto the ground. You were now on your knees, heart beating fast, hyperventilating and trying to get yourself to calm down as tears ran down your cheeks. 

You couldn't go outside until everything was completely resolved or else, Austin would surely make sure you regretted it. So, you, in your panicked state swore to not go out until you saw zero signs of him lurking around your apartment building, no matter how long that took.  

Your phone went off a few more times as you curled up in a ball on the floor, shaking and crying as you expected the worst to happen. Thoughts of certain doom and terror flashed through your mind and you shut your eyes tightly, trying to get your mind off of everything. But, it didn't work, you were stuck like this for who knows how long.


	20. "Safety is Necessary"

Eventually, you had calmed down enough to eat, but you still weren't very hungry, so you had to set the bowl of ramen to the side. You weren't intending to finish it because you just couldn't think about eating right now. You picked up your phone to see at least four new texts from Austin that you hadn't heard come through due to you phone being on silent. 

You took a deep breath and looked at all of them, one by one. 

"Babe, I know you're home. Don't you dare ignore me!"

"Are you crying because you fell for my trick to get your number?" 

"Hm, maybe you fell asleep. Well, in that case I'll leave you alone for a bit. Sleep well, babe." 

And the most recent one chilled you to the bone, you knew that all it was is a big scheme to get you into his hands. You'd never trust that man with anything. This is what it read: 

"Hey, babe. I know a way to make this all stop. No more of these text messages, no more stalking, no more harassment. But to fulfill that, you have to meet me in the alley beside your apartment." 

You weren't in any way going to ever step foot near that creep again, so you quickly went to his settings in your contacts and blocked his number. You hoped that his texts would stop now, but just in case, you put your phone onto 'Do Not Disturb Mode' so that if he wrote you again, it wouldn't bother you.  

But as the hours passed, you couldn't help but feel anxious. You felt like at any moment, Austin would burst in through your door somehow. And that thought only made you tense up more. 

You had been sitting on your couch for around five hours, wrapped up in a blanket and trying to stay calm. You had been drawing Mrs. Agatha's cat while listening to your favorite band to relax when you got bored and decided to draw something a bit more challenging, a portrait. But not of a human, of a skeleton, rather, of Papyrus. 

His lanky physique would be fun to draw someday, but for now you just wanted to focus on his skull. You gritted you teeth realizing you didn't have a picture of him anywhere and you sighed. You grabbed your phone and searched up 'Papyrus Skeleton' into the search bar of your browser and pressed enter. After waiting a few seconds for it to load, the search came up and the first result was a profile on some social media website called "Undernet". You'd never heard of this website so, you were kinda worried, but you clicked on it anyways. It loaded slowly and it appeared to be a Facebook for monsters, except fancier and not as annoyingly filled with politics. 

His profile was  filled with puns, jokes, and pictures with Sans and his friends. You couldn't help but chuckle when you saw a picture of the child from the chocolate shop sitting on top of Papyrus' shoulders. They were laughing gleefully and a happy smile was plastered on Papyrus' skull. 

The next picture was of him wearing a Santa hat holding a string with mistletoe attached to it in his left hand. It had been his profile picture around the Holidays and he had a light orange blush on his skull. You clicked on the picture and saw that it had a description. It read the following, "would ya smooch a skeleton? probably not. happy holidays, guys.". You smiled at the picture and felt a blush come on your face from looking at him, you'd be lying if your brain wasn't screaming "Yes!" in reply to the first sentence. You felt kinda weird for thinking that, but he just kinda looked cute in the picture. 

Was it normal to think a skeleton looked cute? Well, Sans was cute, like kitten cute...but as you scrolled through the pictures of Papyrus on his page, you couldn't help but think he looked awfully... Hot.

You blushed brightly and put your phone away quickly. Well, that's enough thoughts for today! 

You flipped the page of your sketchbook and began with a circular outline. You were going for a more realistic drawing, but you'd never drawn a skeleton before so you're not exactly sure how well it would turn out. Well, at least you'd have time to practice with it. Wait, why are you drawing Papyrus exactly? 

You shrugged your shoulders, you supposed you didn't really have a reason and that he just seemed fun to draw. But, before you could get too far with the drawing, your heart sank when you heard taps on your window. It wasn't like someone was knocking on your window or anything, nobody could even get up there anyway. It just sounded like the pitter patter of small stones being thrown at your window. 

You felt your heart lurch and you set your sketchbook down on the side of the couch cushions. You stood up, heart now pounding as you inched your way closer to the window. You were starting to shake again and when you got close enough, you looked down to see Austin looking up at your window. He waved and smirked as soon as he noticed you looking at him and you shakily snatched the curtains together. 

You ran back to the couch and paused the music as you worriedly grabbed your phone. You unlocked it and saw that you had two unread texts but you were too scared to see who they were from. You weren't up to seeing more texts from Austin under another number, so even if it was from Papyrus, you weren't going to risk it. You had written Mr. Smith's phone number in your phone just in case of an incident so you quickly pressed the call button and waited. 

It rang for around forty seconds before it went to voicemail. His voicemail was simple, except he was speaking in a very husky and seductive voice. Once again, you'd be lying if you said you didn't find it slightly attractive. But you pushed that out of your mind and left him a message saying, "Hey Mr. Smith, it's (Y\N). I need you to call me back as soon as possible please." 

And after that, you heard more taps on your window and you shook your head as you gulped and looked at the clock. It was just 7:30 PM. How was today going so painfully slow? You thought about retiring early, but damn, that was extremely early for you. At least, early for you when you were working at Harvey's. But, maybe sleeping early to prepare for Muffet's wasn't that bad? 

Your stomach growled and you groaned. You didn't really want to eat, but you grabbed your old bowl of ramen and walked into your kitchen. You set it in the sink and turned to the window in your kitchen. You instantly froze when you noticed there was a paper taped to the window that hadn't been there earlier. You walked closer to see it had "You can't stay inside forever, (Y\N)." written on it in in permanent marker. 

This meant he had been up the stairs leading to the back of your apartment... This also meant he knew which apartment you lived in now.  Your heart lurched yet again, he could've been watching you through the window while you were breaking down. Is that why he knew you were crying? You closed the curtain on the small kitchen window and suddenly didn't feel very hungry anymore. But, in order for you not to starve, you grabbed the last cookie Mrs. Agatha had made you. 

As soon as you had taken a bite of the cookie, the heavenly homemade flavor calmed you down. The cinnamony goodness was amazing and you frowned when you realized you wouldn't get any more for a while. Wait, could you pay for her to make you cookies? That'd be a great idea... Hell, even if she charged you a large price, it'd be so worth it. 

You quickly finished the cookie and heard a tap on the window in the kitchen which was thankfully covered by the curtain, but you knew who and what it was which made your heart sink. And just when you had felt better too. Didn't this freak have a job?! 

Well, he did because he nearly caught you while he was working. Well, perhaps he got fired? He kinda deserved to get fired. But, he likely was just off of work for the day since it was pretty late to be working. Well, maybe he works weird hours. I mean, most get off at five or six but he could get off at eight or some other strange time. 

You ran to your couch and picked your phone up. You pondered calling Papyrus, but you doubted he could do too much. Even if he had threatened Mr. Smith earlier. Plus, it'd take him a while to get here. You also thought about calling the cops but you knew how the alleyways behind your apartment complex were plentiful which made it easy for him to get away. And, he wasn't trying to break down your door so you tried Mr. Smith's number again. 

You waited, and waited, and waited... 

Yeah, he once again didn't answer. You hoped he was okay, he didn't seem like the kind of man who'd deliberately miss phonecalls. Especially if they could be from a girl accepting his offers in a romantic night on the town. Or... A romantic night... Somewhere else. 

Putting that thought aside, you decided to just crash in bed to ignore everything that was happening in your life. So, you skittishly walked to your room, made sure all the blinds were closed, and changed into a gray v-neck tee and black and white plaid pajama bottoms. You went and brushed your teeth and flossed before you plugged your phone in to charge, setting it on your nightstand. You flopped onto your bed and got under the covers, you took a deep breath and pulled over a pillow from the opposite side of the bed and you hugged it to stay calm. And after around an hour of trying, you finally fell asleep. 

\---------------------------------------------

You were awoken in the morning by the calm birdsong coming from outside. You yawned and stretched, almost forgetting about the day prior. But, you remembered as soon as you saw that all of your curtains were closed. Your heart dropped when you went over everything that had happened yesterday. From Austin's attempt at... Whatever exactly he was planning, to Mr. Smith's rescue, to Austin repeating to harass you which led to your panic attack. 

You sat up in your bed and kicked off the sheets, letting out another yawn. You couldn't help but worry about how you were supposed to start work tomorrow. You couldn't go outside! How the hell would you get to work? Maybe you could ask Muffet to give you a ride? No... She'd probably leave hours before you did. 

You sighed and unplugged your phone from its charger, unlocking it to see you now had twenty-one unread texts and three missed calls. Two missed calls were from Mr. Smith and one was from an unknown number. You didn't have any voicemails, so you reluctantly looked at your texts. You first clicked on Mr. Smith's name which had one text. This is what it read: 

"So sorry for not being able to answer last night. I had to go back to work for a meeting and after that, I had to investigate at a crime scene. But by the time I got off, it was around 10:30 so I went to a bar to get some food, maybe a drink, maybe a lady, when some guy picked a fight with me. It escalated until he stole my pistol and shot me. Luckily I was wearing a bullet proof vest, but my son was so close to becoming an orphan anyways. If I don't answer again, it's because I'm working on this case. I apologize greatly, Misses." 

"Oh my goodness, are you okay, Noah? I hope you are! I was just calling to say that Austin, the guy you saved me from yesterday is still harassing me. And it's only gotten worse." You quickly wrote back. 

Next, you went went and clicked on the texts from Sans. He had thee unread texts.  

"I HOPE YOU GOT HOME SAFELY, (Y\N)!" 

The next was a selfie with him, Papyrus and Chara. They were all wearing black sunglasses and they had on baseball caps which were backwards. 

And the last was a group shot of all the friends Sans had said they were hanging out with all sitting on the skelebro's couch. They were illuminated by the glow of the TV. Everyone was smiling widely and it seemed like it was a lot of fun. Attached to the message was a caption saying "WE'RE MISSING YOU, (Y\N)!" 

"It looks like such fun! I hope everyone had great fun! Maybe I can be there next time, yeah?" You wrote Sans back swiftly, carefully making sure you had no typos.  

You next saw you had three unread texts from Evony. You honestly were glad to see she had written you. You clicked on her name and began to read though her simple texts. 

"Heya, (Y\N)! It's Evony from earlier." 

"Why is there a creepy blonde dude surveying our apartment complex?" 

"Damn, he's actually pretty hot."

You frowned and shook your head, how do you explain that he's a malicious and perverted stalker? You thought for a few moments before replying, "Don't go near him! He's been harassing me for a while now and he's pretty much been stalking me. For your safety, please stay away." You warned her via text. 

You clicked back to your unread texts and saw seven from Papyrus. You had a feeling he was worried about you. You appreciated that a lot. You clicked onto his name with a sigh and began to read through every text. 

"(y/n), officer flirty retuned you home safely, right?" 

"i don't think he's actually being nice to you. i think he's just manipulating you so he'll get a favor." 

"erm, (y\n)? it's past 11:00 pm. ya should be home by now." 

"it didn't offend ya, did i?" 

"i'm sorry, kiddo. if ya like smith, ya can be with him and i won't judge." 

"okay, it's now 4:00 am. please be okay, why aren't ya writing back?" 

"if ya don't reply by 10:00 am, i'm gonna go question that shit-stick myself." 

You snorted at what he just called Mr. Smith and suddenly realized you had no excuse for you to use as to why you hadn't replied to his texts. You quickly decided to make something up off of the top of your head. Maybe it'd stick well.

"Sorry Papyrus, had my phone on do not disturb because I was trying to sleep. I came down with the stomach flu yesterday so if you don't hear much out of me, that's why. And don't worry, I don't like the 'shit-stick' Smith." You replied to him. 

You chuckled as you clicked over to your next texts which were all from an unknown number. You had a sneaking suspicion that it was Austin, and you were correct, they were from stick-shit #2. All of his messages only made you more anxious. Why did he have two phone numbers? 

"Okay then, babe. You think you can get rid of me by simply blocking my number?!" 

"Yeah, that's not happening, dollface. I won't ever give up until I get what I want." 

"This all won't stop unless you agree to give up being stubborn and let me take you out with me." 

"That's all I ask for, how hard is that to do?" 

"If you block this number, I'll just find out again and call you on another. So, don't even bother trying." 

"Well, goodnight, babe." 

"And good morning, beautiful. You're lucky that I'm in a good mood this morning. You wanna know why?" 

Actually, no, you didn't. So, you blocked his number again and climbed out of your bed. You looked at the time, it was 7:00 AM. You walked into your kitchen and put a pot of water onto your stove top. You turned on the burner and yawned, looking around your kitchen for an appropriate breakfast. You eventually settled on two pieces of buttered toast. 

You put the bread into the oven and peeked out of the window in your kitchen to see the note on the window had been replaced with a picture of you with a heart around it. The picture wasn't a photo that you knew of existing though. It was taken while you were walking on Clique Street, presumably by Austin without your knowledge. This was all getting very out of hand fast and you just wished you had the guts to tell someone else about this then Mr. Smith. You wanted it to end. You were tired of feeling scared in your own home. 

You just hoped that'd he'd stop soon, or perhaps that he'd get caught. But, you had a feeling that'd be very unlikely.


	21. "Him"

As the day went on, the offenses from Austin slowed down dramatically and by 5:00 PM, they'd stopped completely. Throughout the day, the only noticeable thing he was doing was throwing small pebbles at your window, and when you tried to call the police, the line was busy. They didn't call back, and neither did you. 

Speaking of calling, Thursday was supposed to be your first day working at Muffet's but you lied and called in sick to avoid Austin. Muffet was very sympathetic and told you that you didn't have to come in until you felt better. But, you hated to start a job by calling in sick. You really hoped you could go in work on Friday since Saturday would have to be a half day due to Maia arriving. You couldn't help but worry about what you'll do about work tomorrow, you didn't want to get fired before you had even started. 

But eventually, bedtime rolled around. You had avoided looking at your phone since early that morning and you decided that if Austin had another number, you weren't going to look. So, you didn't check your messages which worried a certain some skeleton a lot, but of course, you didn't know that. He was yearning for any type of message from you, he thought you might be in danger and it pained him because he couldn't check on you. He had no idea where you lived and you wouldn't answer his calls or texts. 

But, you were unaware of the skeleton who was so worried about you. So, you went to sleep at 11:00 PM. You dreamt happy dreams, dreams about going to prom with your senior year crush, Zachary Campbell. He was the captain of the football team and was well built, broad shouldered and tall.  He had the hottest dirty blonde undercut that you'd ever seen and women chased him like dogs running after cars. But there was a problem with your dream and the fact that all these girls wanted to get with him, he was gay. 

But in your dream, he apparently wasn't. He had gone with you, dressed in a fabulous black and blue suit. It brought out his lovely blue eyes and you were dressed in a long blue sequin dress. You both danced across the dance floor, until he traded you for Kabrina Catt in the middle of a dance. After that happened, you woke up. You were disappointed in the dream's ending, but you pushed the thoughts aside. It was time to get ready for work, that is, if you're going. You crawled out of bed sleepily and looked outside your window to check to see if your stalker was there or not. Much to your relief, he wasn't anywhere in sight. 

You quickly turned and walked to the bathroom, taking your pajamas off, getting into the shower and turning on the water to wash yourself for the day. Once you had finished washing yourself, you turned off the water, grabbed your towel and got out of the shower. You speed walked to your room, straight to your closet. You opened the door of it and picked out a black dress shirt and black skinny jeans. You weren't sure what Muffet wanted you to wear, but you figured this would be okay. 

You threw on your clothes, put on some black Mary Jane flats and looked at the clock. "Crap!" You exclaimed as you saw that you needed to leave in five minutes. You dashed into the bathroom, blow dried your (h\l) hair and fixed it so that it looked presentable. You then quickly walked back into your room, grabbing your bag and phone before running into the kitchen to grab an old granola bar at the back of your pantry. After you made sure you had everything you needed for the day, you opened your door and ran down the stairs to entrance of your apartment complex. You snatched open the door and looked around, Austin was still nowhere in sight. You breathed a sigh of relief and began your trek to work. 

You were actually somewhat excited for today, maybe you could see Papyrus again. You hoped he hadn't texted you or anything, because your phone was still on do not disturb mode, therefore it wouldn't show up on your lockscreen. But, you pushed that thought out of your head and continued walking. You started out your walk constantly looking around, but after five minutes of no Austin, you let your guard down a little and calmed down. You expected he was at work or something, so you planned to avoid the chocolate shop he was working at earlier on your walk. 

After around ten minutes of walking, you got to a desolate part of town which seemed to be even deader than it normally is. You looked around to see nobody around. Nobody driving down the street and nobody standing in their driveways, this was quite bizarre. Even for this part of town. But, maybe you just ended up walking down the street when all the parents were at work or taking their children to school. Or, they were sleeping in. But the former was a much better explanation. 

But, you didn't think about that much more. You didn't want to cause fear or dread to cause you to be glued to the sidewalk.  So, you pushed all worrying thoughts aside and began to hum a soft tune to distract yourself. It wasn't the tune of anything particular, it was just randomly composed by your mind. Maybe it was a mix of various songs, but you weren't sure. Either way, it helped you focus on the exciting, and possibly stressful day ahead of you. 

Three more minutes passed when you heard footsteps further down the street. You didn't think much of it, but as time progressed, they seemed to get closer and closer. You eventually turned to see Austin following you, except he was staring down at his phone screen with a scowl. He didn't seem to realize it was you, so you quickly turned back around and continued on your walk, heart pounding. You added a little speed to your walk, hoping he wouldn't notice, and much to your relief, he didn't. Or so you thought. 

Four more minutes passed and you were nearing the turn to go down a more populated street when you were caught off guard by Austin's voice. "(Y/N), is that you?" He asked and you gulped. You didn't reply, and continued walking. That must've been a mistake, because you heard him walking closer fast. "(Y/N) (L/N). I know that's you. Stop walking, I need to talk to you about something." He continued as he got closer. His voice was demanding and you just wanted to run to escape his clutches again. You cursed under your breath when you realized your phone and pepper spray were in your backpack and you were about to break into a run when you heard him right behind you. "Come on dollface, don't play hard to get. Because well, in the end, I'll get my way." His voice was now threatening and your heart lurched. 

You squeezed your eyes shut and continued walking when suddenly, he grabbed your arm tightly. Your eyes shot back open and you turned to look at him with wide eyes. "Don't you dare ignore me!" He spoke angrily with fire in his olive green gaze. He jerked you closer and when you tried to desperately pull away, his grip only tightened. "Alright sweetheart, I'm done playing all of your games." He growled and you yelped as he grabbed your chin, forcing you to make eye contact with him. "Austin, let go of me, I have said a million times that I'm not interested. Please just let me live in peace." You begged with tears welling up in your eyes. 

His gaze didn't soften at the sight of your tears, it seemed to enrage him even more. "Oh yeah, babe? Well, I am interested, so you're not getting away this time." He growled. A grin came upon his lips as he observed your terrified countenance. "Too bad your cop friend isn't here this time, in fact, too bad nobody's here to be your hero." He leaned up to your ear, "It's just you and me, pretty lady." He whispered into your ear which sent a shiver down you spine as the tears escaped your eyes and started rolling down your cheeks.  

He moved his head down and buried his face in the crook of your neck, his nose gently brushed against it and you couldn't help but try to pull away again, but his grip was persistent. You let out a shaky breath and shut your eyes again which made more tears roll down your face. He pulled away from you, but his grip was still firmly on your arm. You opened an eye as you shook in fear as he moved a hand to your cheek, he wiped the tears from your face gently. "Don't cry, babe. It'll all be over soon." He spoke in a silky smooth tone. Your heart was racing, you knew there was no way you could get out of this. Nobody was around to save you from the impending doom that you faced. You could die, get mutilated, be left for dead, there was no telling with this guy. But whatever he ended up doing with you wouldn't be good. 

Austin hummed somewhat and licked his lips, "I hope you've been enjoying my little visits. But, I will let you know that I was absolutely pissed for you blocking my phone number twice. It's too bad that you didn't see the consequences coming." He spoke to you. "In fact, I probably wouldn't have come to your apartment so often if you would've just texted me back." He added in order for you to regret your actions, but the only thing you regretted was not getting help even though you knew that you really needed it. If only you hadn't been so stubborn and actually told people. 

Austin pulled you to his chest and moved his arms under your own. He began to drag you backwards, presumably to his house when you felt more tears run down your face. You opened your mouth and let out a scream to call for help, but Austin soon stopped and turned you around. He looked even angrier than before and he slapped your cheek hard. "Remember how I said if you screamed one more time I'd kill you the other night? Well, that still applies." He growled and due to his words and the slap, tears began streaming down your face faster. "A-Austin please... I-if I promise t-to..." You tried to stutter out but he grabbed you by the neckline of your shirt and pulled you too close for comfort which caused you to get quiet. "It's too late for that." He spoke darkly. He audibly growled as he looked you in the eyes, his anger clearly showing in his green gaze. He stared into your (e\c) gaze and his sick grin only grew as he saw how scared you truly were.

And just as he let go of your shirt, you heard a calm voice behind you. "hey there, buddy. i'd suggest ya let her go before i make ya regret ever layin' a grimy hand on her." it spoke. The voice was familiar, but the thing was, the calmness in their tone sounded almost deadly. As if, they were ready to kill Austin with their bare hands. Austin looked over quickly, "Hey, monster trash, you're interrupting something important." Austin spat. "does it looks like i give a shit?" the voice spoke in response and it finally clicked in your mind who had come to your rescue. It was Papyrus, Papyrus the tall skeleton who had been so suspicious of you recently. Well, he definitely knew what you were hiding now. 

Austin scoffed, "Well, what is a pile of bones like you going to do, huh?" he asked Papyrus challengingly.  

Suddenly, the sound of attacks being summoned was present and Austin let go of you, stepping back an inch or two. "i don't think ya really wanna find out, kid." Papyrus replied coldly. You were still crying softly and you turned to look at Papyrus, he looked absolutely pissed. His left hand and left eye socket were both glowing a bright orange. When he saw the condition you were in, his facial expression hardened as he whipped to face Austin who was about to grab you again. Austin's soul became visible as a dark blue and he was suddenly lifted into the ground by Papyrus' magic. "ya sure ya want to follow through with this? i don't think you'll like the next part very much." Papyrus told your stalker, his voice harsher now. 

"Try me, Skeletor. I'm ready to receive my prize even if I have to fight a stupid monster like you for it." Austin hissed in response, and that's all it took for Papyrus to move his hand to the side, sending Austin flying into a tree. As soon as his back hit the tree, you could hear the air being knocked out of his lungs. Papyrus walked towards Austin, pelting bone attacks at him which all got impaled in the tree around him. That made Austin's olive green gaze become wide with fear at the tall skeleton's abilities. Austin was truly scared of what Papyrus was truly capable of. Papyrus summoned an attack in hand and walked to Austin, holding the bone near his stomach. "think this is all so fun now, bucko?" Papyrus asked Austin as he tried to get further away, but with bone attacks trapping him against a tree, that was impossible. 

"Please let me go, I'm sorry! I'll leave her alone, I swear! Just don't kill me, please!" Austin begged and Papyrus moved the attack closer so it was pressing against his clothes. "and why the hell should i do that after what you did to her?" Papyrus challenged and Austin gulped. You couldn't take your eyes off the ordeal. Who knew Papyrus could be so scary. 

Papyrus stepped back and made the attack in his hand disappear. He lifted Austin with his magic again so he could see his facial expression. "if i see you around here ever again, or around her, i won't be as kind." Papyrus threatened before he dropped him onto the ground. Austin nodded, "Y-yes sir. I g-got it." Austin stuttered before he ran off across the street. Papyrus sent a bone attack flying after him and once he was out of sight, Papyrus turned to you. He didn't look very pleased. "(y/n), you have some explaining to do." He spoke with a hard glance. 


	22. "Every Cloud has a Silver Lining"

You stood there in shock, silent with tears forming in your eyes as you quickly looked away. You didn't know how to respond, he knew something had been up for just as long as it had been going on, but you refused to tell him. And, if he hadn't been here at this exact moment, you wouldn't have made it out alive. 

Just thinking of all the possibilities of what Austin could have done made more and more tears well up in your eyes. It was getting harder and harder to hold in your emotions by the second. And when you built up the courage, you looked up at Papyrus to see he had a surprisingly harsh look on his face. He looked angry, accusatory, sad... It hurt your heart even more to know hiding the situation hadn't only hurt yourself, but Papyrus as well. 

You were unaware that you were shaking under the tall skeleton's judging glance and your breaths quickened, you were almost positive you were on the verge of another panic attack. But, had you brought this all upon yourself? 

"is this what you've been hiding from me? is this why you haven't replied to any of my texts or calls?" He asked you, his voice harsh and it made you look away again in shame. 

You bit your lip and nodded slowly which caused him to shift his position. "why the hell didn't ya tell me?! i have been asking if anythin' was wrong for weeks and ya denied it. i could have prevented this!" He exclaimed angrily and you gave up with trying to hold in your emotions. You knew that you had screwed up big time, and you regretted hurting Papyrus like this. So, you let the tears roll freely down your cheeks and you quietly began to cry. 

At this, Papyrus' gaze immediately softened and he became less tense, looking at you sympathetically. Your lip quivered and you wiped a tear from your cheek before you couldn't stand it anymore, you looked at Papyrus up and down before you quickly ran to him and wrapped you arms around him. You buried your face in his hoodie as you began to sob. You held him close and he seemed quite taken aback. His arms hovering in midair for what seemed like forever. He wasn't exactly sure what to do at first, but he soon sighed and bent down slightly, wrapping his arms around you. 

Your quiet sobbing was muffled by his fluffy orange hoodie and he just continued the hug, holding you close to him in the middle of the sidewalk. You had never felt so safe in someone's arms before and you were confused as to why. He wasn't that different from everyone else, was he? 

"it's okay (y\n), he's not gonna hurt ya." Papyrus soothingly whispered to you which seemed to lessen your crying a tiny bit. "I'm s-so s-s-sorry..." You stuttered out as you continued crying into Papyrus' sweatshirt. 

"it's okay, i understand." Came his quiet response. 

You didn't want to let go, being in his embrace was so warm and comforting. But, he was in no rush to speed up your crying, he seemed quite calm. And if anything else, he was upset that he had made you cry. 

"cheer up, kid. everything's gonna be okay." He told you softly. 

Only muffled sniffles came in response and you could be heard breathing softly from your mouth. You were extremely embarrassed for loosing control of your emotions like that, but you were very grateful that Papyrus didn't simply rush you along. You needed support in a time like this. And well, that was exactly what he was giving you. 

Papyrus gently rubbed your back in an attempt to soothe you even more and he sighed again, "ya feelin' better?" he asked you when your crying had slowed its pace. You nodded, which was actually difficult to do with your face buried in his hoodie, but still didn't pull away from the hug. And well, neither did Papyrus, which really surprised you.  

When you had finally regained your composure, you pulled away from the hug that you had with Papyrus. It was almost like two puzzle pieces being pulled apart. 

He stood back up straight and straightened his back, looking down at your tear stained face. His hoodie had gotten a little dirty from your tears and as soon as you noticed that, you freaked out. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry for crying all over your hoodie!" You quickly apologized and he glanced down at his hoodie before his gaze met yours again. "no need for apologies, it'll wash out, plus, i don't mind." He replied with a gentle grin. 

You smiled gratefully and nodded, wiping your tears away when you noticed Papyrus was pondering something. You watched him as he was in deep thought and he soon knelt down so that you both could talk face to face. He scratched his cervical vertebrae nervously before sighing. "eh, kid... i apologize for being so harsh earlier." He sighed, looking away in shame for a moment. "i just don't want ya to get hurt." He added softly. 

"Don't apologize, this has been going on for longer than it should've. And well, I should have told someone before it escalated this far. I mean, as soon as he confronted me twice, I should have called the cops or at least told you." You murmured. "But, I was naïve and stupid, so I refused to tell anyone..." You added as you sniffed.

You wiped some tears forming in your eyes again and Papyrus turned back to you, after a short pause he reached over and gently held your hand. "if you're ever having any problems, please let me know." He spoke to you softly. 

You nodded and wiped your eyes again, "I will, I promise." you swore and he nodded before letting go of your hand and standing back up. "well, i presume you were on your way to work, but i can tell you're not in any condition to go today. i'll call muffet and explain why you can't come in." He spoke as he pulled out his phone. 

"No!" You spoke a little too urgently and he looked over to you with a furrowed brow. "what do you mean, 'no'?" He asked as he cocked his skull to one side. 

You bit your lip and sighed, "I can't afford another day off. I really need my next check." You explained and he stood as still as a mouse. 

"(y\n)... do you need some money?" He asked moments later and you looked up at him in surprise at his offer. "No, no... I'll be fine... Trust me." You replied, forcing a fake smile on your lips. He reached into his pocket and began to pull out a brown leather wallet. "Papyrus, I don't need your money... Please." You begged and he sighed, looking at your (e\c) eyes before stuffing his wallet back in his shorts. "alright, but no work. i'll make sure muffet gives you a paid day off." He insisted and you sighed. 

"Alright, I guess you're right... I probably shouldn't be working after what happened earlier." You sighed and he nodded.  

Papyrus quickly texted Muffet before tucking his phone back into his hoodie's pocket. He sighed but soon smiled, "i'm gonna walk ya home if that's alright."

You smiled in response, "Oh, I'd love to have company on my trek home." you replied, your voice a lot more cheery than earlier. His grin widened, "hey, come stand behind me." He instructed and you tilted your head to one side. You were confused, but instead of asking why, you obeyed and walked behind him curiously. 

Next thing you knew, Papyrus was holding your hips from behind and with assistance of his magic, you soon had your legs wrapped around his waist and your arms around his neck. He held your legs carefully and chuckled. He was planning on giving you a piggyback ride. 

Your face burned a bright red and your eyes were wide in surprise, "P-Papyrus?!" You exclaimed in shock. He chuckled at the surprise in your voice, "what? i said i wanted to walk ya home." He replied. "You don't have to carry me!" You exclaimed. 

"hm, i suppose you're right. but, i want to anyway. i think it'll be fun." He remarked as your cheeks grew redder and redder by the second. But before you could say anything else, he said something first. "now, where is your residence?" He asked you calmly. You sighed, knowing he had his mind set on carrying you and replied with, "I live on Clique Street in one of the older apartment buildings on the left side of the street." 

"oh, see, that's not that bad of a walk." He replied as you clung onto him. He made sure you were holding on well before he turned and started walking to your apartment. The streets weren't as dead as earlier and a few people were out watering their plants. Some people would turn to you and Papyrus and smile, others would scowl. But the naysayers opinions didn't matter. All that mattered was that you and Papyrus were both having fun. 

The walk was pleasant, the cool breeze kept both of you cool as he walked you home. You had nice friendly chats all the way home, both of you almost forgetting the events that had transpired only thirty minutes or so before. But, you were glad you had him to keep your mind from wandering. Sadly though, the walk was nearing its end. 

As much as you'd hate to admit it to Papyrus, you enjoyed the feeling of him giving you a piggyback ride. It made you smile and laugh which only seemed to make him happy as well. So when he finally stopped at your apartment complex, you frowned. 

"ready to get down, kiddo?" He asked and you contemplated saying 'no', but you didn't want to be weird. So, instead you said "Yeah, it was fun while it lasted though." 

He chuckled at your response and got you down with his magic, "so, you still up to comin' to sans' party tonight?" He asked you and your eyes widened. "Oh man, is that tonight?" You asked him almost in a panic. "yup." Was his simple response and you sighed. 

"I forgot it was tonight. I didn't even buy him a gift... I don't think I can make it without a present." You sighed and his happy expression faltered. "ya don't need to get sans a gift. your presence will be enough. plus, toriel could pick ya up." He suggested. 

"Why would she do that? She's only met me once and you don't even know about that." You sighed and he took a cigarette out of his pocket and swiftly lit it, placing it in between his teeth. "she rides this way to get to our house. i'll give her the address and she can pick ya up." He explained and you thought for a moment before nodding. "That sounds good. What time do you think she'll be here?" You asked him and he tapped a phalanx on his chin. "around five probably." He replied and you nodded.  

He held the cigarette between his fingers as he turned his head and blew out a puff of smoke. He turned back to you seconds later and smiled slightly, "well, i should let you be. be safe, kiddo." He spoke as he started to turn around to walk away. 

"Hold up there, big guy. Did you really think you could get away without a goodbye hug?" You asked him with a grin on your face. He spun around, a grin prominent on his face as well and he chuckled. "hm, i was hoping i'd get lucky and receive one." He responded with a wink. He placed the cigarette back in his mouth before he held out his arms for a hug. 

You fast walked over and he bent down slightly for you. You wrapped your arms around Papyrus yet again and he hugged you back, wrapping his own arms around you in return. You smiled and pulled away. "I'll see you later, Papyrus!" You spoke with a wave. He nodded and waved in return before taking the cigarette out of his mouth. "see ya later, sans will be extremely excited to see ya." He commented and you smiled even wider. 

"I'll be just as excited, I guarantee you." You replied and he chuckled, "goodbye, (y\n)." he spoke as you both parted your own ways. 

You dashed up the stairs to your apartment building and unlocked the door, closing it behind you and walking up the stairs to your own apartment. You unlocked yet another door and finally, you had made it home. You let out a shaky breath as your mind went over all the events that had happened today. You knew this whole event would take a while to get over, but you could only hope it wouldn't be too bad once Maia arrived tomorrow. 

But, you pushed the terrifying thoughts from your mind and turned on some music to calm your nerves. You sat on your couch for around thirty minutes until you decided to go find something you could give Sans around your apartment. And as soon as you saw a plain white tee and some fabric markers in the back of a drawer, you knew exactly what to make him. A shirt with a kawaii taco on it. 

You smiled as you walked to your dining room table laying the shirt and markers onto it. You pulled out a sketch book and sketched out a very cute design you thought he'd like and you got to work on the actual shirt. It required a lot of work to look good, but you were determined to make him a fantastic gift. And by the time it was complete, you had been working on it for around three hours. But, you didn't mind and smiled down at the gift you had made him. It was perfect, even if the shirt would be a little big on him. You left it to dry and sat on your couch, pausing your music and plugging your phone in to charge. 

Your stomach rumbled and you headed to the kitchen to fix yourself a quick lunch. You couldn't wait for tonight, you expected the day to end up being absolutely wonderful. Plus, just thinking of the excitement Sans would have when he opened your gift made you smile. Even if it was relatively small, you knew he'd appreciate it a lot. 

So, you smiled as you made yourself a sandwich, ready for the fun events that would come later that day.


	23. "Birthday Shenanigans"

It was now fifteen minutes until Papyrus had expected Toriel to come pick you up and you were wrapping his newly made shirt in nice blue wrapping paper. You carefully put white ribbons onto the wrapping paper and made a bunch of squiggly ribbons with the blade of a pair of scissors on top as a bow. You then quickly slid an envelope under one of the ribbons and taped it there to stay. 

You had written the card contained inside the envelope after you had eaten your lunch. You wrote him a very nice letter. You had told him how much you appreciated his kindness and how his smile was contagious. Among other things, you also told him how much you loved hanging out with him and Papyrus. You hoped that you could visit them more often once your life got back to normal and you felt bad for ignoring both of the brothers' texts. 

In fact, when you finally remembered to take your phone off do not disturb mode, you were shocked to see at least forty-two texts. All of them from Papyrus, Sans, Evony, Maia and Muffet. 

Muffet had written you saying that due to the events that had transpired, you didn't have to go into work until Monday. Which you appreciated a lot because Maia was actually coming tomorrow and would be arriving around 1:30 PM. You were super excited to see your friend tomorrow and you couldn't help but smile when you remembered she was coming. Maybe she would make these visits a regular thing if this one turned out well. 

But pushing Maia aside, seeing Papyrus' texts reawakened the guilt you had for ignoring him. He was genuinely worried about your safety and you figured you'd apologize to him again at the party. Of course, away from Sans and all the other party goers. They didn't need to know about the Austin incident and you certainly didn't want that to ruin Sans' birthday. 

Once you were done prettying up Sans' present, you set it on your couch and ran to get changed. You went to your closet immediately and looked around, you slid through the hangers until you found your favorite dress. It was a white strapless dress that had black silhouetted leaves printed all on it. You weren't a huge fan of dresses, but thought you'd look cute. So, you quickly threw on the dress, tightened the black belt on it around your waist and grabbed the first pair of shoes you saw, a pair of low-top white sneakers. 

Realizing you may get cold since the weather was staring to turn, you went back to your closet and pulled out an army green button up shirt and put it on over the straps of your dress. You fixed the collar and then put on a pair of ankle socks and put your shoes on, tying the laces neatly. 

After you were done that, you brushed your hair and right as you finished, you heard a car honk outside. You rushed to the window in your room, opened the blinds and at the curb sat a dark blue minivan. You could see Queen Toriel inside and you didn't want to keep her waiting, so you ran and grabbed your things, threw them into your bag and grabbed Sans' present off the couch. As soon as you went through a checklist in your mind, you were positive you had gotten everything you needed to. So, you opened the door, shut it behind you and ran down the stairs. 

Once you made it out the door, you saw Toriel wave with a smile on her face. The passenger side wide window rolled down to reveal young Chara was with her. Chara's face lit up, "It's the chocolate store lady!" they exclaimed and you chuckled. You walked around the car and got in the front passenger seat. You looked over at Toriel whose eyes met yours instantly. "I had no idea you were the same lady from the chocolate shop, but it's always nice to return the favor." She told you kindly and you smiled and nodded. "Of course, ma'am. I agree with you on that." You replied and she pulled off the curb and started to drive to the skeleton brothers' house.

"You look really pretty, miss!" Chara told you from behind and you turned to face them. "Thank you very much, Chara! I appreciate the compliment." You replied with a smile. "I've heard Sans and Papyrus talk about you when they watch me, they really seem to like you!" Chara spoke and you smiled even wider. "That's great, because I really like them as well." You replied and Chara nodded, "Who wouldn't? Sansy and Papy are the best!" Chara exclaimed and you chuckled. "I agree with you on that." You replied to them and Toriel smiled.  

After a pretty short car ride of talking about Sans and Papyrus, Toriel's car pulled up to their driveway. There were many cars parked all along the street in front of their house. It seemed like quite a few of their friends had already arrived. You wondered what they'd be like and how they'd react to having a new human among their ranks. Hopefully it wouldn't be an issue. 

Toriel parked her minivan and got out of her side of the car. Chara got out of their booster seat as well and after opening the sliding door, they hopped onto the pavement. You once again grabbed your things and opened the car door, climbing out. You shut the door behind you and you all made your way to the door of the house. It was open, so you all let yourselves in. Sans peeked his head around the corner, "CHARA, TORIEL, (Y\N)! YOU ALL MADE IT! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING!" Sans spoke excitedly. You quickly walked to Sans' table of presents and Toriel followed as you both set your gifts down. 

You turned to walk back but Sans surprised you by rushing over and pulling you into a giant bear hug first. "THANK YOU SO MUCH! PAPYRUS SAID YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT AND I WAS SAD, BUT YOU'RE HERE AND NOW I'M HAPPY!" He shouted and you giggled as you hugged him back. "I'm really happy that I was able to make it, and well, I'm glad I could get you a gift as well because you deserve it." You responded and he hugged you tighter. "YOU DIDN'T NEED TO GET ME ANYTHING, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'M SURE I'LL CHERISH YOUR GIFT! NOW, GO MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME!" He told you and ended the hug, pulling away and dragging Toriel and Chara into the kitchen with him. 

You laughed at how cheery Sans was, he absolutely warmed your heart. You wondered what he was making in the kitchen, but you were almost positive it had to be taco based. 

You walked into their living room and spotted Undyne, Alphys and a young goat monster. The goat monster was happily talking to Alphys, he was wearing a yellow striped poncho and happily clapping his paws. You walked over to the couch and took a seat next to the young kid. He didn't seem interested in you and continued chattering along with Alphys for six minutes or so when Chara called him into the kitchen. At least, that's who you assumed 'Asriel' was since he jumped up and ran in the kitchen when that name was called. 

But after he left, Alphys looked over to you and lifted an eyebrow. "Aren't you that girl who works at Harvey's?" She asked you and you nodded. "I did work there but I quit a few days ago and started working at Muffet's." You replied and Undyne adjusted her glasses. "W-was that why y-you were there t-the other day?" She asked and you nodded. "I was going to fill in a job application and decided to get a coffee beforehand." You replied. 

"Well, I'm glad you quit working at that hateful and discriminatory business. How they ended up banning monsters from their premises leaves a bad taste in my mouth." Alphys responded as she shifted her position in the chair that she was seated in. 

You nodded, "Same here, as soon as I saw the notice on their door, I got pretty upset." you replied. "Y-you would think that an act of d-discrimination that great would g-go against a rule of some sort..." Undyne remarked quietly and Alphys sighed and rolled her eye. "You'd think that, but these are humans we're talking about. No offense, of course." Alphys responded to her girlfriend and you shrugged your shoulders. "None taken." You responded. 

You looked around the room, Papyrus was nowhere to be seen, nor could you hear his familiar raspy voice. You wondered where he was and looked all around. "What're you looking for,  punk?" Alphys asked you curiously.  "Oh, I'm just wondering where Papyrus is." You responded. There was silence for a few seconds and you turned to see Undyne's eyes were wide and her face had a small grin on it. Along with that, a faint pink blush lined her cheeks. "Oh no, that's her 'shipping' face." Alphys remarked and you coughed, "Wait, what?!" you asked her and Undyne sprang up from her seat. She then quickly dashed outside and Alphys let out a groan before running after her girlfriend. 

"Shipping face? Does she think Papyrus and I... Are together?" Your face grew hot and your own cheeks turned pink at the thought of him ever liking a girl like you. You wanted to hide your blush from anyone who'd walk in, so you grabbed a pillow from next to you and covered your face. You had gotten so flustered from Undyne's assumption, what was up with that? 

You were still covering your face when you heard footsteps approaching, they froze for a few seconds and you slowly peeked from behind the pillow to see Papyrus looking at you in confusion. "what cha doin', kid?" He asked you with a tilt of his skull. You quickly set the pillow back next to you, hoping most of your blush had subsided as you grinned nervously. "Uh, n-nothing." You stuttered out. 

"hm," He mumbled as he walked closer. "i like doin' nothin'." He replied as he flopped down on the couch next to you. You chuckled nervously, "Don't we all?" you asked in return and he shrugged. "some people like my bro don't like doin' nothin'." He responded and you paused. "Good point." You replied. 

"but people like me, just like layin' on a couch for hours binge watching doctor who, ncis and sherlock." Papyrus added with a chuckle as he pulled a toothpick out of his pocket and placed it in his mouth. 

"I relate to that, if I find the right, show, I'll watch it or hours on end." You responded. Papyrus smiled for a few seconds, "sans and i actually watch ncis together and sometimes i'll call him probie. but of course, whenever i do, he gives me a nice gibbs slap across the back of the cranium." Papyrus chuckled and you smiled.  "I can definitely see that happening." You spoke with a laugh. 

You both were laughing as Alphys and Undyne walked back in. After Undyne saw both of you laughing gleefully and sitting next to each other on the couch, she froze for a few seconds before gasping and quickly dashing outside again. Papyrus lifted a 'bone' brow, "what was that about?" he asked which you just shrugged to in response. And of course, by now, Alphys was running after Undyne again and you and Papyrus both laughed again at how annoyed Alphys had looked before she took off running. 

After the laughter had subsided, you let out a yawn and Papyrus took the toothpick from his mouth, throwing it into the trash can across the room. "it must've been a really busy week for ya, (y/n)." Papyrus remarked as you blinked the sleepiness out of your (e\c) eyes. You nodded as the weeks busy events all flashed through your mind once again. "well, thanks for comin' to sans' party. i know you've been through a lot, and you comin' means a lot to him." Papyrus thanked you. "Oh, there's no need to thank me! I love hanging out with you guys!" You responded with a smile. 

"ey, that's great. you should come visit more often then. you're always welcome." He told you with a happy smile. "Of course! I'll keep that offer in mind." You replied before Chara ran out of the kitchen up to you and Papyrus. In their hands was a platter of miniature tacos all made up neatly. They were bite sized and very adorable. 

"Would you like to try one of our mini tacos, Papy? Oh, you too (Y\N)." They offered. 

Papyrus thought for a moment, "did you and toriel help make these?" he asked Chara and they nodded. "alright, i'll take one then." He responded as he lifted a bony hand and took one off the silver platter. Chara turned to you and you picked up one of the small tacos off the platter yourself and took a small bite. You turned to see Papyrus had devoured the entire bite sized taco already so, you quickly finished eating yours as well. It was actually very good. At least, much better than the first time you ate one of Sans' tacos. But, it wasn't as good as a taco from an authentic Mexican restaurant. "it's fantastic, tell the folks in the kitchen that they're doin' a great job." Papyrus told Chara and they nodded. "It was very good, compliments to the chefs!" You told them and they smiled, quickly skipping back into the kitchen. 

Suddenly, a robot burst through the door which caused you to jump in surprise at the loud noise its entrance made. "I am here, now the party can truly begin!" The robot exclaimed loudly as it slammed down three or four presents on Sans' gift table. You were confused as to who this gray and blue robot was, so as it ran into the kitchen, you turned to Papyrus. He must've seen your confusion because he sat up slightly before explaining, "that's napstaton, a monster that was very famous in the underground. he was, and istill is sans' idol. but, they've bonded a lot recently and have become really good friends. sans listens to all of his albums almost daily and he is quite obsessed with him." 

"Hm, I haven't heard of him yet." You replied and Papyrus nodded. "makes sense because he hasn't been able to get a record company to sign him yet. they're not very keen on the idea of hiring a monster and it's nowhere near as small as it was down in the underground so it's hard for him to get his name out there." Papyrus replied. "I guess that makes sense, I hope he can find a record deal soon though!" You exclaimed and he nodded in agreement. 

"Well, I'm happy that Sans could become friends with his idol." You remarked and Papyrus chuckled, "i agree with ya on that. it's made him so happy and that's one of the only things i want in life. it makes my day seein' that my bro is happy." He replied and you couldn't help but smile at how sweet Papyrus is. You loved how much he cared about the happiness and well being of his little brother. It just showed how much of a great person he truly is, not that it was under debate or anything, but you just adored the skeleton brothers brotherly bond. It absolutely warmed your heart for sure.


	24. "Cigarettes and Honey"

[Papyrus' POV]

 

I held my hand on my chest as I peered outside of the window of my room. With every car that passed, my breaths hitched. I'm waiting for Toriel's familiar dark blue van to pull up in front of the house. And well, I want (Y\N) to be in the van with Toriel and Chara. But after all the shit she's been through recently, I'm not sure if she can make it tonight.

I wish that she would've told me about that pervert earlier. If I hadn't been passing along on my walk to the store, I wouldn't have been able to prevent all the things that he would've done to her. And it's strange to admit this, but I would've killed that guy just for flirting with her even after she told him to stop. But, even with everything that jerk did, I knew it would scare (Y\N) to know I killed someone just to protect her. I didn't want to seem like some creepy yandere from one of Undyne's animes. So, with great hesitation, I had to let him walk free.

I inhaled sharply and pulled a toothpick out of my pocket and placed it in my mouth. I wished it was a real cigarette, but if Sans found out that I smoked in the house, he'd surely be pissed. And, I don't want to upset my lil' bro on his special day, so I'll stay obedient to the rule that he has enforced. At least, for today. 

I find that cigarettes help me best in the moments where my mind is caught up with conflicting feelings. Whether it's stress, anxiety, depression, or really anything else, smoking cigarettes has been a habit I've developed to take the edge off of things. But there's a new feeling that's made me feel the need to smoke even more. Love. 

It wasn't long after I met (Y\N) when I realized that I had begun to like her. It made me feel like an idiot, but I started liking her the night she ate dinner with us. Even if we had fought with each other that night, as soon as she left... I realized that I was being a jerk. I shouldn't have assumed that she was some anti-monster movement supporter. But there was just something so gentle about her nature with how she interacted so kindly with Sans. I knew she was a good person after that. 

And yeah, I admit that I was a complete sucker for liking a girl so quickly after all that I've been through, but I can't help it. Every time I see her, I get happy and can't help but smile. Her smile melts my heart and her (e\c) eyes are as pretty as the Echo Flowers in Waterfall. She's just such an adorable person and with every time I see her, I begin to like her more and more. 

But, there's a downside to my love. I'm just a mere skeleton. A plain old skeleton made of magic and bones. I'm not some complex and attractive human being. I mean, if she turned down going on dates with the shit-stick Mr. Smith, why would she ever like a guy like me? 

Mr. Smith, he has the looks, the charm, the money, the car, the life... But she didn't seem to want to get involved with him, even if hundreds of women probably see him as the perfect bachelor. I of course see him as some slick and untrustworthy used car salesman, and perhaps she does as well. But even with the way he looked at her, she didn't even notice. So, how could she possibly love me if Smith has so much more to offer compared to me? 

And, that's why love makes me smoke. Because I know that I can't be with her romantically, and I especially don't want to break apart our budding friendship. So, I'm stuck in a silence of hiding my true feelings which I know, will slowly tear my heart apart. But, I've been through worse. So, certainly this won't be that terrible, right? 

I must've gotten lost in my thoughts, because as soon as I snapped back into reality, I saw Toriel's van parked on the side of the road in front of our house. I wondered if I'd missed them climbing out, but a smile formed on my face as I saw (Y\N) climb out of the passenger side of the car. Even if I couldn't see her the best all the way from here, I was happy to see that she had come. She had come for us, and more importantly, Sans on his special day. I watched as she walked with Chara and Toriel to the door and I sighed happily. 

When I had seen her, my chewing on the toothpick had stopped. And when I realized this, I took it out of my mouth and walked to the trashcan by my door, throwing it in and observing the small pile of wooden toothpicks that had gathered in it since trash day. I need to have help to wean me off of cigarettes. Sans is right, depending on cigarettes like this isn't healthy. But, I don't know how to stop. 

I've depended on them for so long that I can't simply walk away from them. When all of my friends and family were gone, cigarettes were the only thing that could make me less lonely. I had become dependent on nicotine by the third genocide route and I still can't stop smoking, even after making it to the surface. 

Shaking the thoughts from my head, I opened the drawer in my nightstand and pulled out a small box. The small box that housed Sans' birthday gift. 

I looked around my room and walked to my closet, pulling out wrapping paper and a tiny blue bow. After that, I walked back to my bed and began to wrap the small box. In the box was a specially made taco shaped locket that had a picture of me and Sans in it.  The picture was taken in Waterfall and it was Sans' favorite sibling selfie. 

Knowing that he'd love the gift that I got him, I smiled and taped the wrapping paper shut and attached the bow to the light blue paper. 

My head whipped to the window in my room when I heard our front door close. Undyne had run outside for some reason and was leaning against her blue-green car. Alphys ran out after her and began to talk to her. I cocked my skull to one side, what could that possibly be about? 

I stuffed the small wrapped gift in my hoodie pocket and opened my bedroom door, walking forward towards the living room. And as I approached, I heard a soft and quiet "Shipping Face? Does she think... Papyrus and I are together?"

It was (Y\N). Undyne must've somehow started shipping us, that'd explain why she ran outside as fast as a fangirl. But why did she do that? Did (Y\N) do something to make her ship us? 

I continued walking and froze when I saw (Y\N) with her face buried in Sans' favorite pillow. I looked at her in confusion as she slowly peeked her head from behind the pillow. Her face was a light pink, she had been blushing and was trying to cover it from the outside world. "what cha doin', kid?" I asked her obliviously with a tilt of my skull. I didn't want her to know that I knew what had happened. 

She quickly sat the pillow back on the side of the couch and grinned nervously, "Uh, n-nothing." She stuttered out, looking at me with an almost worried glance. 

I looked her outfit up and down, she was wearing a white dress with the pattern of silhouetted leaves. And she wore a pair of white sneakers on her feet which honestly complemented her look and made it appeal even more to me. I fought back a smile as I realized how pretty she was in this outfit. It was like the perfect mix of formal and casual and I loved it. 

"hm," I started as I began to walk closer. "i like doin' nothin'." I added before I flopped down onto the couch next to her. She chuckled nervously and my smile faltered. Was I overstepping my bounds? Should I just be leaving her alone? I began to feel a little anxious and gently grasped the arm of the couch. 

"Don't we all?" She responded after what to me, sounded like an eternity. I just shrugged, because that wasn't exactly true. "some people like my bro don't like doin' nothin'." I replied and she froze for a few seconds. "Good point." She replied.

"but people like me, just like layin' on a couch for hours binge watching doctor who, ncis and sherlock." I chuckled and pulled a toothpick out of my pocket, reluctantly putting it in my mouth when I remembered that I needed to stop my bad habit. 

"I relate to that, if I find the right, show, I'll watch it or hours on end." She replied, a smile on her face which calmed me a little. I smiled in return, "sans and i actually watch ncis together and sometimes i'll call him probie. but of course, whenever i do, he gives me a nice gibbs slap across the back of the cranium." I chuckled.  "I can definitely see that happening." She giggled. 

We were both laughing as Undyne and Alphys finally walked back in. And as soon as she saw us both sitting on the couch, laughing our heads off, she froze. But, only for a few seconds. Because after that, she let out an excited gasp and quickly dashed outside. Alphys was right behind her, and since I didn't want (Y\N) to know that I knew what was going on, I lifted an eyebrow. "what was that about?" I asked her and she just shrugged. 

So, she didn't want me to know about Undyne shipping us. Is that out of embarrassment or out of annoyance? I wasn't sure, but I hoped that she wasn't upset about it. After all, I don't mind us being shipped since I really do like her. But, the only sign I have that she may like me back is a small blush. But, at least I have some sign, right? 

She began to laugh over Alphys' annoyed countenance and I joined in. Alphys looked extremely fed up which wasn't something I'd seen in a long time. And after the laughter stopped, she yawned sleepily. 

I took the toothpick out of my mouth and threw it into the nearest trashcan and looked to her. "it must've been a really busy week for ya, (y/n)." I remarked and she nodded in agreement. She seemed to think for a bit and after a while, I decided to change conversations. "well, thanks for comin' to sans' party. i know you've been through a lot, and you comin' means a lot to him." I thanked her and she smiled. "Oh, there's no need to thank me! I love hanging out with you guys!" (Y\N) responded. 

I couldn't help but smile at that remark. I am extremely happy that she ended up enjoying our company. In fact, I'm very glad that we both gave each other a chance. I used to be biased against humans for locking my kind under a mountain for years and years. But over time, and after I met (Y\N), I realized this is a whole new generation. These are brand new people, merely descendants from those who sealed us under Mt. Ebott. Humans have gotten way more excepting since those days, and there may still be protestors and people who feel ill will towards us, but it's nothing like it used to be. 

"ey, that's great. you should come visit more often then. you're always welcome." I replied to her, my happiness surely showing. "Of course! I'll keep that offer in mind." (Y\N) replied. 

And as soon as she'd finished her sentence, Chara walked in the living room with a tray of miniature tacos. Their short brown hair bounced as they bounded over to us. "Would you like to try one of our mini tacos, Papy? Oh, you too (Y\N)." They offered. 

I thought long and hard, I love my little brother, but he can't cook very well so I try to avoid his food as much as possible. "did you and toriel help make these?" I asked Chara and they nodded. "alright, i'll take one then." I replied as I went and picked one of the bite sized tacos and quickly ate it. By the time (Y\N) had her tiny taco, I had finished mine already which seemed to make her hurry up and finish hers. 

"it's fantastic, tell the folks in the kitchen that they're doin' a great job." I told Chara with a bright smile. They merely nodded in response and looked over to (Y\N), "It was very good, compliments to the chefs!" She told them which caused Chara to smile before quickly running back to the kitchen. 

Suddenly, Napstaton burst through the door, nearly knocking our door off of its hinges again and I suppressed an annoyed groan. (Y\N) nearly jumped a foot in the air from the obnoxious robot's loud entrance and I shook my head. 

"I am here, now the party can truly begin!" He exclaimed in his robotic voice as he ran over to the gift table, practically slamming down three gifts wrapped in a taco wrapping paper before running into the kitchen. 

I looked over to see (Y\N) was confused, I realized she may not know who he is, so I sat up and put my hands in my lap. "that's napstaton, a monster that was very famous in the underground. he was, and still is sans' idol. but, they've bonded a lot recently and have become really good friends. sans listens to all of his albums almost daily and he is quite obsessed with him." I tried my best to explain. 

"Hm, I haven't heard of him yet." She remarked and I nodded. "makes sense because he hasn't been able to get a record company to sign him yet. they're not very keen on the idea of hiring a monster and it's nowhere near as small as it was down in the underground so it's hard for him to get his name out there." I replied. "I guess that makes sense, I hope he can find a record deal soon though!" She exclaimed and I simply nodded. 

I'm not a huge fan of Napstaton, but I know that Sans absolutely adores him, so I hope he gets signed by a record label just for Sans' sakes. I mean, Sans would absolutely kill for new music by NTT. And now that he and Sans are friends, he'll get invited to a lot which I know Sans will absolutely adore. He'll feel so special and excited hanging out with a big star like him. 

"Well, I'm happy that Sans could become friends with his idol." She replied and I couldn't help but chuckle. "i agree with ya on that. it's made him so happy and that's one of the only things i want in life. it makes my day seein' that my bro is happy." I responded and a giant grin formed on her face. She looked like she was admiring our brotherly bond, or just how much I care about my little brother. And that made me excited. All I really want in life right now is for her to see that I'm a good person. I don't care if she doesn't like me back, after all, that's what I'm expecting. I just want her to see me, as me. A tall skeleton who likes puns and enjoys annoying his little brother a little too much. 


	25. "Fun and Games"

You and Papyrus sat on the couch chatting back and forth for what seemed like forever and you never wanted your peaceful and fun chats to come to an end. But, like most good things, it had to come to an end. After thirty minutes of just talking happily without interruptions, it was time for everyone to gather around and officially celebrate Sans' birthday. 

The trays of miniature tacos and regular sized tacos lined the coffee table in the middle of the room and all the party goers scrambled to get some onto their plates. Of course, they were only rushing to get some grub because Queen Toriel had assisted in making it. Apparently she and her ex had cooked quite often together for their late son. And, for a previous fallen human that they had adopted named Frisk as well.

Your stomach growled, so you got up and got a plate, putting three miniature tacos onto your plate before sitting back down next to Papyrus on the couch. He took a good long look at your plate before reaching over to grab a taco. You reacted fast, glaring daggers at him and quickly slapping his hand. "Myyyyy precioussss-" You spoke in a raspy voice. Papyrus had looked genuinely frightened at first, but as soon as your countenance brightened up, he, Alphys and Undyne all started laughing at your reference. 

You slid your plate back towards Papyrus, "I'm kidding. You can have one if you'd like. I was just messing with you." You chuckled and he grinned. "of course, honey." He replied with a wink as he reached back over and grabbed a mini taco. Your cheeks faintly turned red at what he had called you and Undyne jerked her head, staring at the both of you. She eyed both of you and clenched her fists together as Alphys quietly talked to her. 

But everything became silent a few seconds later when Sans walked in with a giant grin on his face as per usual. He sat in a chair and crossed his legs as Napstaton burst in through the living room door again, blasting party music. 

"i swear, if he breaks my damn door, i'm gonna make him pay for it..." Papyrus muttered quietly and you suppressed a laugh. 

Loud pitched microphone feedback started as the music toned down and Napstaton got in a pose as he started speaking. "Today marks an astounding day in history. It's the day Sans was born twenty years ago today." He started before he dramatically turned to Papyrus, walking over and shoving the microphone into his face. "Well, big brother, what were your thoughts when you first saw your baby brother?" He asked him like a game show host would ask his contestants. 

You had jumped when Napstaton had slunk over, but Papyrus remained unsurprised as Napstaton practically laid across the couch to reach him. "i was pretty salty at first, ya see, i wanted to have all the attention... but as soon as i saw his blue starry irises, i couldn't help but adore 'em. and well, now i'd do anythin' for him." Papyrus replied with a shrug and you smiled. 

Napstaton turned back to the crowd of people as you took a bite out of a mini taco. "Awww, isn't that so sweet? Post it to Instagram, Twitter, Undernet, Facebook, heck, even Myspace! PAPYRUS AND SANS ARE SIBLING GOALS!" He announced at the top of his lungs—wait do robots have lungs? And if so, are they metal? Well, this is a weird question you now have the desire to know the answer to. 

"NAPSTA, EXCUSE ME IF I'M BEING BRASH... BUT YOU'RE KIND OF LINGERING ON SIDE TOPICS." Sans spoke and the music stopped. 

"Oh, I suppose you're right. Anyway, who's finished eating? We start out tonight with charades." Napstaton replied in a calmer and less host like tone. 

You were still munching on a taco when Sans raised his hand and Napstaton looked at him, "Would you like to pick out a thing to imitate or just choose one out of a hat, Sans?" He asked and Sans didn't even hesitate before replying "I'LL PICK ONE AND I ALREADY KNOW WHAT IT IS!" 

"i bet you twenty bucks that he's gonna act out a taco." Papyrus offered and you nearly snorted, "Okay, deal." you replied as you both shook on it. 

"Alright then! Get up and act out the thing. We're waiting~" Napstaton told him and Sans nodded and his bright blue irises sparkled as he jumped up, walking into the middle of the room so everyone could see. He tapped a phalanx on his chin for a moment before laying on the ground, curving his spine and lifting his arms as legs off the ground. It was obvious what he was trying to be. Papyrus had been right and you just lost $20. How wonderful. 

Chara raised their hand and quickly shouted, "A beetle stuck on their back!" to which Sans shook his head. He tried to make his limbs look more taco-like but it didn't really work.

You and Papyrus looked at each other in surprise over how it wasn't so obvious to other people. "I-is it a-a turtle?" Asriel asked and Sans shook his skull again. Everyone tapped their chins before Alphys suddenly shouted, "A SLEEPING WARTHOG!" 

Now, Sans didn't seem that phased by the guess but you and Papyrus were perplexed by how odd it seemed. "A sleeping warthog?" You asked with a lift of an eyebrow. "a sleeping hunk of fat and juicy meat?" Papyrus responded quietly and you laughed. "Nice reference there, Papyrus." You laughed quietly as you remembered that scene in The Lion King. 

"NO! GOOD GUESSES THOUGH! KEEP TRYING!" Sans encouraged everyone. 

"I don't mean to be a Debbie downer, but I don't think this is exactly how you play charades. Don't you normally have teams at least?" You whispered to Papyrus in confusion. He thought for a moment and nodded, "yeah, but he wanted to play this way." Papyrus responded and you shrugged. "Well, I guess it works this way too." You responded and he nodded. 

"Are you an overturned table?" Toriel asked as she tilted her head to the side. Papyrus had to stifle a laugh and it was becoming apparent that Sans was actually getting somewhat annoyed that nobody could guess. 

Papyrus quickly nudged you and whispered, "hey (y\n), save the party." to which you nodded in response. You waited a moment and quickly raised your hand, "Oh my gosh! I got it! Sans, are you a crunchy taco?!" You asked him in an animated tone and his blue irises exploded with a multitude of stars. "YES!!! CONGRATULATIONS ON GUESSING CORRECTLY!" He squeaked excitedly as he bounced up and down excitedly, his small hands balled into fists. 

Everyone made noises of understanding as they looked to each other and you couldn't help but wonder of they were just screwing with Sans and actually knew the whole time. But, that didn't matter now as you took the last bite of your taco and Sans skipped back to his seat, sitting down. 

Napstaton turned to you, "Well then, (Y\N). Since you guessed correctly, now it's your turn!" he spoke and you nearly choked on your bite of food. And with a mouthful of taco, you replied "Wait, what." in surprise. "Exactly! Come on over here, we don't have all day." He spoke with a gesture of his gloved hand. 

You looked to Papyrus for assistance but he merely shrugged so you swallowed and got up, walking over to where Sans had stood. You twiddled with you fingers nervously and thought for a moment before a slightly devious grin appeared on your face. You knew exactly what to act out. 

You stood on your tip toes, slouching slightly as you put on a stupid grin. You looked around the room and lifted an imaginary cigarette to your mouth, holding it there for a few seconds before pulling it away, blowing out imaginary smoke. You then held a fake bottle of honey, flipping the imaginary cap and acting like you were downing it. 

Chara giggled, "You're Papy!" they spoke and you smiled and nodded, returning back to a normal pose. "Yup, I was Papyrus." you replied as you turned and walked back to the couch. Papyrus seemed somewhat humored, "nice job, kiddo. you even nailed the way i smoked, but ya used the wrong hand." he snickered. "Alright then, I'll note that for next time I guess." You chuckled. 

"Chara, it's your turn now! Come on up here and show us what you've got!" Napstaton spoke to them and they nodded, getting up and walking over. They didn't have to think for long before they put their hands up, looking left and right before pressing on the inside of an imaginary box. 

"Oh! Oh! I've got it! You're one of those creepy clown things!" Alphys guessed and Chara looked to Napstaton and he shook his head. "You must be more specific and state the technical name." Napstaton told Alphys and she scowled for a few seconds. "Alright, alright... Babe, help me out here." She grumbled and Undyne thought for a few moments. 

"A mime!" Toriel shouted and Alphys slammed a clenched fist onto her leg. "Gosh dangit!" Alphys exclaimed and Chara nodded happily as they walked back to their seat. 

"Lady Toriel, it's now your turn. Step right up!" Napstaton announced and Toriel nodded, getting up and walking over. She thought for a couple of seconds and smiled before she stood straight, holding out her dominant hand like she was holding something in it. She held it still for a bit and suddenly she lifted the imaginary object in a quick fashion, waited a few moments and lowered it back down. After she was done that motion, she looked around as she waited for someone to guess.  

"Uhh, using a fly swatter?" Alphys asked and Queen Toriel shook her head. You looked at Papyrus and he was watching you, but it wasn't the same way you both had looked at each other earlier. This was different, much different. In fact, he seemed very focused on you until you whispered, "Papyrus?" which made him jump and he awkwardly scratched his cervical vertebrae. "heh, sorry, kiddo. i was j-just starin' into space." He told you and you didn't fully believe him because his cheekbones were glowing a very faint orange. 

Despite your doubt, you pushed the curiosity brimming in your mind away. "It's alright. I do that too sometimes." You replied and your eyes met again, there was something in his gaze that you'd never expect to see. In fact, it was something that you hadn't seen in a long time. Could it be what you think it is? 

But before your mind could ponder on it any longer, you felt your cheeks heat up and you quickly turned back to the game. Toriel was demonstrating the action again and Sans tilted his head. "ARE YOU FLIPPING BURGERS?" He asked and she shook her head and took a new approach of demonstrating the thing. 

"you're makin' pancakes, right?" Papyrus asked and Toriel clapped in joy. "Yes, yes! Very good!" She praised him as she walked back to her seat. "Papyrus, that means it's your turn~" Napstaton spoke and Papyrus shook his skull. "nah, i'm not good at charades." He replied and Napstaton marched over. "Oh Papyrus, you have to participate. It's in the rules. You can't just opt out." Napstaton replied and Papyrus sighed as he stood up. He walked to the middle of the room and froze for a moment. 

He closed his eye sockets, and when he opened them seconds later, there were two small orange stars in each of his eye sockets. He forced a giant grin on his face as he started jumping about. He clapped this hands together excitedly and you fell over on the couch laughing when you realized that he was acting like his younger brother. You were worried that Sans would be upset with Papyrus over imitating him, but Sans was actually laughing as well and soon the whole room—minus Napstaton was in stitches. 

"Oh my God, that was a spot on Sans impression, Papyrus!" Alphys spoke in between laughs and Undyne nodded in agreement. "You k-know his m-mannerisms v-very well, P-Papyrus." Undyne agreed and Chara ran up and gave him a high five. "That was great, Papy!" They giggled and Papyrus chuckled, reverting back to his normal lazy self. "thanks, it only took twenty years of observation to get his mannerisms down." Papyrus spoke with a wink which made everyone laugh again. 

And once the game was over, everyone was already exhausted. Some wanted to go home, others wanted to stay longer. But it wasn't time to leave yet. It was now time for Sans to open his gifts and read his cards. So as everyone gathered around to watch him open his presents, you quickly checked the time and your eyes widened. It was already eight PM. You need to get home. It's already pitch black out and you have to walk quite a ways. You sighed as you tugged on your dress, looking up at Sans. 

"Sans, can you open my present first? I need to get going." You asked him, desperation could slightly be heard in your voice and you could feel Papyrus shift in his seat. You looked to him for a moment and he was giving you a caring glance, he knows why you're worried. 

"OF COURSE! LET'S SEE HERE... AH! HERE IT IS. YOU HAVE FANTASTIC WRAPPING SKILLS, (Y\N)!!!" He exclaimed and you smiled. "Thanks Sans. Read the card first." You told him and he nodded, pulling the card from under the ribbon. He opened it carefully and slid the handmade card out that had a drawing of a taco on along with a drawing of Stripes, the cat that visits them. The card has "Happy, happy, happy birthday to you!" written on it in blue and Sans opened it eagerly. "MAY I READ IT OUT LOUD?" he asked and you nodded in response. And with that, he began to read the card out loud to all of his friends and family. 

 

"Happy Birthday, Sans! I am so honored that you'd invite me to your birthday party and I am so excited that I can come. I love you and your brother a lot, in fact you are both blessings in my life. You two showed up at a rough patch where I didn't know who my real friends were anymore. But now, I know that you guys are two of the best friends that I could ever ask for. Thank you both for giving me a chance and I hope you're having a fantastic birthday. Thank you, Sans. Remember that I love you and I'm always here for you. 

                                                                                                     Love, (Y\N) (L\N)."

 

As he finished reading the card, he began to tear up with a gigantic smile on his skull. "THAT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU DECIDED WE WERE BETTER THAN THAT PERVERT!" Sans exclaimed and Papyrus smirked. A few gasps came from the other party goers and  you looked at Papyrus with a 'what the heck' expression and then turned back to Sans. "I was never friends with him. He was just driving me to the store." You tried to explain. "OH, SURE. I GET IT. WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES THAT WE DON'T WANT TO ADMIT." Sans replied and you sighed. "Yeah, you're right. We do." You murmured and then you sat up. "Alright, open the gift!" You told him and he smiled, nodding as he slowly began to open the gift without tearing the paper.  

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GET ME ANYTHING. YOUR CARD WAS ENOUGH BUT, ALRIGHT." Sans spoke as he pulled the shirt from one end of the paper. He placed the paper on the floor neatly and unfolded the shirt, revealing the drawn kawaii taco and his irises brightened and filled with stars. "OH. MY. STARS. THIS IS SO ADORABLE!!!!" He exclaimed as he held up the shirt to everyone in the room. Most people awwed as Sans hugged the shirt that you had made him. "DID YOU DRAW THE DESIGN YOURSELF?!" He asked quickly and you nodded. "Yes-sirree." You replied and his grin widened. "IT'S SO GOOD, I LOVE IT SO MUCH! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" He squealed excitedly and you smiled knowing he liked it. 

"There's no need to thank me, Sans! But now I have to get going." You replied as you stood up, brushing your dress down and Sans frowned. "AW, ALRIGHT... WELL YOU'D BETTER COME BACK SOON!" He replied. "Don't you worry, I definitely will." You replied as you walked to the door. "It was nice seeing you again, punk!" Alphys told you with a wave and Undyne agreed by nodding. "You're a pretty cool human. I hope to see you again soon, (Y\N)." Napstaton told you and you smiled and nodded. "You're a fantastic person and mom and I want to see you again soon! Mom, can we invite her over soon?" Chara asked Toriel and she nodded. "Of course, Chara." She replied and Chara smiled brightly. 

You turned the doorknob to leave when Papyrus walked over. "i'm gonna walk her home." He told Sans and he nodded. "OKAY, BE SAFE YOU TWO!" Sans replied as you and him walked out the door, Papyrus closing it behind you. 

"Papyrus, you don't have to walk me home." You told him as you looked up at him. 

"yeah, you're right. close your eyes." He told you and you took a step back in surprise. "Wait what?" You asked with a tilt of your head.

"i don't have to walk you home." He replied and you blinked. "I'm not gonna let you carry me home." You told him flatly and he snickered. "not what i meant." He responded. 

"Then what do you mean?" You asked and he paused for a moment. 

"do you trust me?" He asked you and you blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?" You asked and he looked deep into your (e\c) gaze. "do you trust me?" He only repeated and you thought for a few moments. 

"Yes." You replied and he took a step closer. "then close your eyes until i tell ya to open 'em. just trust me." He told you and you took a shaky breath, squeezing your eyes shut. 

You felt him gently take your hand and you squeezed your eyes shut harder as it felt like the ground left you. The wind was in your (h\c) hair and your heart felt like it was going to beat out of your chest. That was, until your heartbeat decreased as soon as you felt your feet back on solid ground. What the hell just happened? 

"you can open your eyes now." Papyrus told you as he let go of your hand. And when you did, you were both in front of your apartment complex and you nearly stumbled backwards in surprise. "What the shit?!" You exclaimed and he chuckled. "oh don't worry about it. have a nice night though, (y\n). thanks for making my bro and i happy." He spoke and you looked at him tilting your head to the side again. "I'm so confused." You muttered and he patted you on the shoulder. "i'll explain later, but i gotta go. call me if ya need me." He replied and you nodded. "Alright, bye Papyrus." You spoke as he turned to walk away and you unlocked the front door. But before you walked in, you looked back to see Papyrus was gone again. 

You scratched your head in confusion and walked in, closing the door behind you and locking it. You jogged up all the stairs to your door, unlocked that door and walked in, flopping down onto the couch. 

You began to think back to the party, but not about Sans. You started thinking about Papyrus and how he looked, how he acted, his smile and his kind tone. There was just something about him that you liked.  And as you continued to think, you closed your eyes, going deeper into thought. And this went on for a while. You thought of his tall stature, his gentle nature, the way he looks at you, how he held your hand, his adorable pun habits...

Your eyes shot open and you instantly sat up, your eyes wide as you placed a hand on your chest. "Holy shit, I've fallen in love with a skeleton!" You spoke in surprise.


	26. "It's Still Haunting You"

You sat there in shock for a few moments, contemplating this realization. You had first met Papyrus a few weeks ago and you hadn't even really trusted him for a while. You didn't even fully start supporting monsters until after you, Audrey and Grace had all parted ways. How did you fall for a guy so quickly? Well, correction, a skeleton at that. But a really hot skeleton. 

You sighed running your hand through your hair before you picked up your phone to see Maia had texted you the following. 

"Hey, (Y\N)! I'll be at your apartment tomorrow around 12:30! I am so excited to see you!" She had written which made you smile. 

You tapped a finger on your chin and hummed as you thought of a response to send to your friend. After a few seconds, you had an idea and you typed it out. Once you were finished writing the text, you read over it one last time and hit send. 

The text read the following. 

"Alright, I'm so excited too! I'm really happy to see you as well! I'll make sure to run out and meet you tomorrow afternoon when you get here! Have a safe flight tomorrow and have fun!" You wrote in response. 

As you looked up at the time on your phone, you couldn't help but yawn. It was only a quarter 'till nine, but after today's hectic and emotional events, you just wanted to crash. So, you forced yourself off your couch, grabbing your phone and slowly shuffling to your room. When you made it there, you took off your sneakers and slipped your dress over your head before throwing on your comfy (f\c) pajamas. 

After doing everything you needed to do before going to bed, you walked to your bedside table and plugged your phone in to charge before looking to the closed blinds at the end of your room. You felt your heart start beating faster as you remembered Austin once again, your skin began to crawl at all the memories of what he had done.  

You had forgotten about him throughout the latter end of the day but as soon as the thoughts were triggered, it seemed like they were ready to stay and haunt you. The negative and horrifying thoughts that he brought with him really didn't want to leave you alone for too long. At least, not yet and you couldn't really do anything about it. 

So after a few minutes of simply staring at your closed blinds, you slowly climbed into your bed, grabbed a pillow and drew it close to your chest as you closed your eyes. You just hoped for a peaceful sleep and you wished that holding something close would lessen your anxiety. You really just needed some rest before Maia came tomorrow and so you focused on falling asleep. And well, eventually you did. 

But the peaceful sleep didn't last as long as you'd hoped. 

 

\-----------------Dream Sequence-----------------

 

You were freezing as you tread through the newly fallen snow, it was absolutely frigid outside. You had no jacket but you had to walk to your destination. So, you continued plodding along in the snow. 

You looked toward the left and saw the road, no cars were driving along it, in fact, the streets were empty. The only thing present was a small calico cat cleaning itself in one of the yards to your right. But as you approached the yard it was in, it got up quickly and dashed away under a bush. But, you didn't go after it. 

You continued walking for what seemed like forever, and it grew pitch black as you continued on. And with the darkness came a cold breeze that chilled you to the bone. 

Everything was eerily quiet, the only thing that you could hear was the echo of your heavy footsteps. But that didnt last much longer, as the sound of a revving engine started drawing nearer and nearer. 

And when you turned to look back, you saw a black van driving along the road extremely fast. It had to be going at least sixty miles per hour on this thirty-five mile per hour road, which is obviously illegal so you turned to watch it. But it didn't slow down, in fact, as it neared you, the tires squealed as the van came to a stop. Now, you were scared. 

You backed away, but as soon as a tall man wearing a black balaclava opened the van door, you felt as if you feet were stuck in quicksand. You couldn't take a step backward or forward, you were simply stuck staring at this masked figure as he jumped out of his van. Even if he was still a ways away, you could see him smirk through the skimask. His gaze is filled with evil and malicious intent. This figure sent a shiver down your spine and you tried to move your legs to run as he grew closer. But even with all of your might and concentration, you couldn't move. It was like this snow was made of glue and it had sealed your feet to the ground. 

He stopped in his tracks and looked over at you, he stood still for what seemed like forever. It didn't take long for you to realize he was making an attempt of mocking you. Your eyes narrowed and his sick grin widened as he began to walk again.  "Hello there, babe." He spoke as he got within six feet of you. 

Once again, you tried to move, but you couldn't. "Who the hell are you?!" You asked the masked figure demandingly but he didn't reply. He walked to you, his olive green gaze was so familiar, but you couldn't exactly place who he was. But whoever he is isn't good. 

He tilted his head to the side, "Oh, so you don't remember me, pretty girl?" He asked and you blinked silently. 

"Hm, well remember me now, babe?" He asked before he pulled off the balaclava. His face had been scarred severely, but his spiky blonde hair was still on point... It was Austin. 

You once again tried to move when you saw who it was. Even more fear went through you as he grabbed your wrist, yanking you toward him. You were frozen so you just stumbled into his arms but he caught you. He grabbed your chin like he had before and moved your face awfully close to his. 

Austin's green gaze looked into your fear filled (e\c) eyes and he smirked. "At last, I finally get what I've wanted for all this time without interruptions." He cooed and your face twisted up in disgust. "Screw you!" You growled in response and he dragged you backwards, slamming you onto the side of the van. You whimpered in pain and his toothy grin widened even more. This guy is obviously a psycho. 

He stared at you for a minute or two before picking you up by the waist and throwing you over his shoulder. You finally realized you could scream, and you called for help but he quickly opened the side door to the van, throwing you in which cut off your pleas for help. He jumped in the side, closed the door behind him and just stared at you. "Too bad neither of your friends were here to help this time... I dealt with them the only way possible..." He spoke with that devilish smirk as he held up a silk striped tie and reached into his pocket, pulling out some dust and letting it run through his fingers. 

You stared in shock , tears welling up in your eyes. "You didn't have to kill them you sick bas-" you started before he marched over, stomping his foot down on your leg which caused you to recoil in pain, falling over. "You're right, I didn't. But you never loved me back or even gave me a chance..  so now I'll destroy everything you love until I know you're mine." He let out an evil cackle. 

"In fact, I'm merely halfway there... Even if I have you now, I still need to make sure you stay that way. Understand, dollface?" He explained and  your bared your teeth, staring at him with hatred in your (e\c) eyes. He tilted his head to the side as he observed you. 

"Not even gonna fight back?" He snorted as he slowly bent down towards you, but you stayed silent, staring daggers at him. After all, you still couldn't move. "Alright then, that's fine with me." He spoke with an unnerving chuckle as he pinned you to the side of van once again, leaning in slowly as you just stared in shock. Tears began rolling down your face as he got closer, they wouldn't stop. There was nothing you could really do.

 

\-----------------End of Dream Sequence-----------------

 

You jolted awake, sweating and crying slightly. You were shaking and you sat up quickly before clumsily grabbing your phone, the charging cord getting snatched out of it in your quick efforts. You quickly glanced at the time, it was merely 3:00 AM and you gulped. 

You needed to call someone as soon as possible, but it's so late. Who would even answer? The only people you could think of to call were Papyrus and Maia. But the problem is that Maia will definitely be fast asleep by now and she needs sleep for her flight tomorrow. As for Papyrus, you're not sure. But he had said you could call him whenever you needed to, so that's what you did. 

You went to your contacts and dialed Papyrus' number as you wiped the tears from your eyes, sniffing a tiny bit. You didn't expect him to answer, but you sat and waited. 

And to your surprise, after waiting only twenty seconds or so, the ringing stopped and you heard a simple. "ello?" 

"Oh, um... Hey, it's (Y\N)..." You started nervously.

"hey there, what's up?" He asked in return. 

"Well, I-um... I had a nightmare and I needed to talk to someone about it." You responded as you rubbed your arm uncomfortably. 

There was a small pause which made your heart begin to beat faster, the thought of your crush thinking you only used him for emotional support began to linger in your mind and you began to play with your hair to lower your growing anxiety. 

Luckily though, a few seconds later, Papyrus broke the silence. "i understand, we all have those moments when we need to talk to someone, ya know?" He spoke, care could be heard in his voice which calmed down your fears a bit. 

"Yeah... But I'm so sorry for calling so late." You sighed. 

"don't ya dare apologize, i'm here for ya 24\7." He replied which made you smile until you heard yelling on his side of the line. You listened in silently, trying to eavesdrop but the yelling was unintelligible. 

Suddenly, Papyrus spoke again. "sans wants to talk to ya, here he is." He said to you calmly and before you could protest or even ask why the small blueberry was awake so late, Sans took the phone, "HELLO (Y\N)! THIS IS THE MAGNIFICENT SANS!" He yelled into the phones speaker. 

As usual, you moved the phone away from your ear slightly in response to his loud yelling. "Hey Sans." You replied with a small sniff. "I OVERHEARD THAT YOU WERE SAD!" Sans exclaimed. "Y-yeah. I had a nightmare." You muttered in response and Sans gasped. 

"ARE YOU OKAY?!" He asked urgently and you sighed. "Yeah, I guess." You responded. 

There was a small pause before Sans quickly spoke, "ARE YOU FEELING SAD OR SCARED?!" to which you replied a simple, "Kinda." 

"WE'RE ON OUR WAY!" Sans declared enthusiastically. 

You blinked in shock for a second before managing to say "Wait, what?!" in surprise.

"I, THE MAGNIFICENT SANS (and the slightly less magnificent Papyrus) ARE GOING TO KEEP YOU COMPANY TONIGHT!" Sans explained loudly. 

"But you don't know where I live...?" You spoke in confusion before you could hear the sound of Papyrus' phone being shuffled around for a few seconds before Papyrus' familiar and lovable raspy voice could be heard again. "but i do." He chuckled which made you blush lightly. 

"Oh, right... I forgot about that." You replied with a nervous laugh. 

"we'll be over in about five minutes." Papyrus told you and you yawned before slipping the covers off yourself. "Alright, but I'm not really sure how you do it since it's a twenty minute walk from my house to yours." You replied and you could picture him smirking on the other line. "ey, i know a really good shortcut." He snickered and you smiled, shaking your head. "Alright Papyrus, see you in five. Bye." You spoke and he exchanged a goodbye as well before you hung up your cell phone. 

You swung your legs over the side of your bed, jumping out and running to the bathroom to do your business, brush your teeth and fix your hair so it didn't look like an abandoned rats nest. After that you looked down at your pajamas and shrugged, there was no reason to change into something else. These were decent enough anyways. 

You now knew it was time to rush downstairs so you grabbed your keys, and ran out your door, going down this stairs as quietly as you could all the way to the first floor where you heard a knock on the door. 

You opened the door, only to be greeted by the two skeleton brothers that you oh so adored. "Hello!" You greeted them. "heya kiddo." Papyrus greeted you in return and Sans waved with a giant smile on his skull. You let out a giggle and stepped out of the way so they could walk in, which they did.  

You closed the door behind them and then turned and faced the two boys. "Well, follow me." You told them with a gentle smile as you began climbing the stairs. "(Y\N)?" Sans suddenly asked which made you stop climbing as you looked back down at him. "Yes, Sans?" You replied and he hummed for a moment. "DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPPLIES TO MAKE TACOS?" He asked. "I... I don't think so?" You replied as you suppressed a laugh from his question. "OH, OKAY." Was all he replied as he started climbing the stairs with Papyrus behind him.

You all walked up the stairs until you reached your door, unlocking it and opening it for the two brothers to go in to. "Make yourself at home." You told them and they nodded as they walked in. Sans walked to a chair you had in the corner and plopped down into it it whereas Papyrus walked and sat on the right side of your couch. You shut the door, locking it back and looked around the room. Your sketch of Papyrus was still on your coffee table and you cringed at how that was still there, but you didn't want to hide it because that'd draw attention to your sketches, so you just left it be.

"HEY (Y\N), CAN I LOOK THROUGH YOUR PHOTO ALBUMS?" Sans asked as he pointed to a small stack of photo albums on a table by his chair and you nodded. "Of course!" You replied and he beamed as he picked one up and began looking through it. 

You started looking for a place to sit when Papyrus patted the cushion next to him on the couch. "come sit 'ere with me." He spoke and you lightly blushed, but you reluctantly nodded and walked over, sitting next to him. 

You looked towards Sans for a moment and Papyrus soon followed, he was completely engrossed in your photo album and seemed extremely focused as he flipped the pages. "hm, i wonder what's got him so glued to the album already. probably adorable baby photos or somethin'." He spoke and you chuckled. "Oh, I have no cute baby photos. I wasn't a cute baby." You told him and he tapped a phalanx on his chin. "i doubt that, anythin' to do with ya is probably super adorable." He replied which almost made you gawk in surprise. Did he really mean that? 

"anyway, now... ya wanna talk about you dream?" He asked and you nodded as you slowly began telling him about the dream in a quieter tone so Sans couldn't hear. As you went on, Papyrus put an arm on the back of the couch behind your neck. He was so close to having his actual arm around you and that made your heart flutter. 

But by the time you finished the long explanation, he was frowning. "i really wish i woulda done more about that jerkwad... but i guess i can't keep him from invadin' your dreams." He sighed as you wiped the tears from your eyes that had formed when you relived that terrible dream. "hey, i know it's tough, but it's over now... i won't ever let that happen to ya." He told you calmly and you sighed, nodding a tiny bit. "I know Papyrus... But what if it had happened? What if that psycho got what he wanted? What if he goes after another girl who isn't as fortunate?" You spoke as you looked down. 

You felt him move his arm so it was around your actual shoulders as he gently pulled you closer which made your face turn red once again. "you can just report him to your ex friend that's a cop." He suggested and you nodded a bit, secretly rolling your eyes. "I guess I could meet with him and discuss Austin in more detail... He deserves to be behind bars after all." You spoke as you turned your head away, sniffing again as fresh tears ran down your cheeks. "yeah, he does... but don't meet with that smith guy in private or alone. i wouldn't trust him that much." Papyrus remarked and you sighed. "Yeah... I guess your right..." You said in a very gloomy tone. 

"hey, hey. c'mon. don't be like that. i don't wanna see ya sad." Papyrus replied as he reached over wiping some tears from your cheeks. "you're such a nice gal and all ya deserve is joy and happiness." He told you softly. "i mean, look at how happy sans is lookin' back at photos of ya. you bring happiness with ya wherever ya go and ya really don't deserve to be so upset." 

This made you smile a bit which made him grin as well, "ayy, there it is." he cooed which made you smile even more.

You leaned over and gave him a big hug. "Thank you so much Papy..." You told him softly before pulling away from the hug, his skull now slowly turning a faint tangerine. 

You moved back to your prior position before and he put his arm back around you. You yawned and he looked towards you. "getting sleepy, (y\n)?" He asked you and even if you were growing super tired, you shook your head. 

"ya sure about that?" He asked as he studied your body language and you nodded quickly. "hey, we can leave if you need to sleep." He offered and you quickly shook your head. "No, really it's fine." You told him and he shrugged. "a'ite. well, if you're sleepy ya can sleep here." He offered and you leaned back against the couch more before grabbing your phone. "i won't fall asleep." You promised and he shrugged. "Let's watch some YouTube. What do you want to watch?" You asked and he thought for a moment. "let's watch some vine compilations. those are great." He suggested and you nodded before pulling one of them up and holding up the phone for the both of you to watch. 

And after around 5 vine compilations, you had fallen asleep, unaware that you had just broken that promise you had made. Oh well, now you owe him $20 and need to make it up to him that you fell asleep after promising not to. 


	27. "A New Change"

Warm tranquility, that's what you awoke to. 

Your eyes hadn't even opened yet, for you wanted to enjoy your last few moments of rest 

There was just something so peaceful and calm about the warmth you were experiencing right now. It was so much more... Serene than the warmth your sheets and bedspreads ever gave you. 

What was this warmth? You weren't exactly sure. But, you never wanted it to fade. You had just had the best sleep that you've had in ages and you felt very happy. The happiest that you've been in what seems like years.

The problems of yesterday are gone, and with this pleasant warmth, you are certain this is a positive omen that they're not coming back. At least, not for now. 

But all the calm effects from repose started to fade when you felt something- or someone shift next to you and your eyelids quickly opened, looking to where the movement came from. 

You looked to your left side and saw that you were all curled up to none other than Papyrus on your couch with a blanket covering you and him. You were all snuggled up to the skeleton, hell, you were cuddling him, and he was cuddling you back. He even looked content, perhaps, even happy? 

But as soon as it sunk in that you fell asleep and that you're in his personal space, you quickly jerked away from him, untwining your arms from being wrapped around him. You quickly began saying "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" repeatedly which caught Papyrus off guard, even if he was awake. 

In the quick movements, his own arms around you had been snatched away and he seemed saddened by this. "no, no, no! it's fine... i wouldn't have cuddled you back if i wasn't enjoying it." He quickly spoke in his normal raspy tone. 

That comment turned your face a slight shade of crimson. He was enjoying cuddling you? Your heart was beating fast as you looked directly at him, "No, it's not fine... I shouldn't have fallen asleep after you two came over to comfort me." You spoke flatly. 

He didn't seem to like your tone and you watched him grip the arm of your couch. "don't apologize... you really needed a good rest after everything, okay?" He spoke before letting out a small sigh. 

Papyrus looked uncomfortable, extremely uncomfortable so, you just nodded and looked at your feet. 

"How long was I asleep?" You asked after a few minutes of silence. He paused, tapping a phalanx on his chin in thought before replying, "five hours or so." 

"Why didn't you leave? I was just asleep for five hours, you must've been bored." You asked him and you saw an orange tint come to his cheekbones. "i wanted to make sure you stayed safe... so, i was plannin' on staying until ya woke up... but at one point i did fall asleep for a bit and sans... well, he put the blanket over us." Papyrus replied. 

"And... I... Snuggled up to you in my sleep? Was that before or after you fell asleep?" You asked him and he scratched his cervical vertebrae. "that'd be before..." He replied awkwardly and you both found yourselves blushing. "And... Did you cuddle back when you were awake... Or asleep?" You asked and he turned even more orange. "...i was awake." He replied hesitantly and you blushed even more. 

Your heart was pounding, but a small smile made its way on to your face. "Well, thank you so much for everything. I really wish there was a way I could thank you for being so supportive and protective." You told Papyrus. "aw, shucks. i was just doin' what anybody would do." Papyrus replied. 

"Papyrus, not everyone would be willing to come to someone's house so late at night just over a nightmare. Not to mention... Most wouldn't cuddle me." You spoke and he scratched his arm. "i don't know why not, you're a great cuddler." Papyrus replied with a small grin. 

You snorted and smiled happily, "You're such a sweet dork!" You exclaimed as you moved back closer to him. "same goes to you, honey~" Papyrus replied with a wink and you giggled. You looked over, meeting Papyrus' own gaze straight on. You both continued staring, your heart thudding in your chest as Papyrus placed a bony hand on your cheek, stroking it gently with his thumb. Your face was a deep red and you looked away bashfully which caused him to gently grab the back of your head, turning your face back toward him. 

But, whatever was going to happen got cut off when there were loud footsteps and happy humming coming up the stairs to your floor of the apartment.   
Papyrus instantly pulled away and turned to the door as Sans burst inside, "I'M BAC- OH SHE'S AWAKE. GOOD MORNING, (Y\N)!" Sans exclaimed happily and you just waved slightly. You had forgotten Sans had even been here. What if he hadn't been gone? Would Papyrus have acted that way around you if his little brother was around? 

"I BROUGHT BREAKFAST! I SAW THIS ON A BILLBOARD ON MAIN STREET AND KNEW I HAD TO TRY IT. SO, I GOT US ALL TWO!" Sans explained as he held up a Taco Bell bag. For some reason, this worried you. Taco Bell? What did he get from Taco Bell for breakfast? Did he just get a crap ton of tacos? If so, does he eat anything other than tacos? 

Sans reached into the bag, handing you and Papyrus both two items wrapped up in Taco Bell's signature paper. You looked at Papyrus with a worried glance and he just let out a small, yet deep, chuckle. You could see the worry in his gaze as well. But, he was doing a fantastic job at hiding it.

Sans pulled out his two from the bag and sat back at the chair he was in last night. "bone appetit." Papyrus spoke with a grin and Sans just rolled his blue irises, scowling as he did so. 

You looked down at the paper on one one of the mystery items and unwrapped the paper, only to see a waffle taco inside. You stared blankly at it for a moment. Why weren't you surprised? "Wow, sure does sound interesting!" You exclaimed in the most enthusiastic way you could. 

"I KNOW! IT'LL BE SO GOOD!" Sans chirped and you grinned nervously, not knowing what to expect. You turned to see Papyrus had already eaten half of his first one and you blinked in surprise. That was extremely fast. 

Sans unwrapped his from the paper and took a big bite. Not wanting to be left out, you picked up your own waffle taco and took a bite. The taste made you furrow your eyebrows. The fact that they called it a taco just for being a waffle bent into a taco shell shape made zero sense, but it wasn't that terrible.  

You finished the first one and stood up, "I'm going to go put this other one in the fridge for later. Anybody need anything from the kitchen?" You asked the two brothers. "MAY MY BROTHER AND I HAVE A GLASS OF WATER?" Sans asked and you smiled. "Of course." You replied.  

You nodded and walked into your small kitchen, going to the fridge, sticking the conundrum of a meal inside for later, before quickly fixing three glasses of water. You tucked one glass in the crook of your arm and picked up the two remaining glasses before walking back into the living room. "Two waters, coming up!" You exclaimed and Papyrus smiled brightly as he looked at you. 

You walked to Sans and gave him his glass before turning to Papyrus and reaching the glass out to him. "Here ya go, Papy~" You practically purred which turned him extremely orange. Pumpkin orange, to be exact. You could hear his bones rattle a bit as he took the glass. "t-t-thanks..." He stuttered which caught you off guard. Was that too much? 

Papyrus crossed his legs and cleared his throat and you walked back to the other side of the couch. You took a sip of your water and then set the glass down on the table. "Sans, did you enjoy my photo albums?" You asked him and his irises brightened. "OH MY STARS, YES! YOU WERE REALLY ADORABLE WHEN YOU WERE A BABY!" Sans exclaimed in reply and you snickered. "Aw, thanks, Sans! I bet you were even cuter." You responded to him and you heard Papyrus let out a slight chuckle. 

You turned to him, his skull was still a slight orange, but he seemed happy. "oh, sans was quite the cute baby bones. i actually have a picture of him from when he was younger in my wallet." Papyrus remarked and Sans quickly stood up. "PAPYRUS, NO! THAT PICTURE IS EMBARRASSING!" Sans spoke suddenly and urgently. "well, i think it's cute enough for (y\n) to see at least." Papyrus replied. 

Sans grumbled, "FINE... BUT ONLY SHE CAN SEE IT!" he huffed as he sat back down and Papyrus' cheeky grin got even wider. "kay, bro." Was all the mischievous skeleton said as he uncrossed his legs and stood up, pulling a wallet from his back pocket. He sat back down and unfolded it, pulling a picture out of one of the folds. He passed it to you with an impish grin, and you gladly took it. 

You looked at the photo and snickered. It was of a very young, and a very tiny Sans. He had spaghetti all over him, but his eye sockets were filled with stars. He was in fact extremely adorable, perhaps even cuter than he is now. Well, that may be sacrilegious. But regardless, he was adorable then and he's adorable now. 

"My God, Sans. You were the cutest thing ever! And you didn't even outgrow those darling features." You complimented Sans and he absolutely beamed. "THANK YOU!" He chimed. 

You looked to Papyrus, he looked a tad bit... Jealous? And once he noticed your glance, he straightened his back and smirked devilishly. "well, to be honest, sans didn't grow much." Papyrus murmured and Sans stood up and stomped his foot on the floor angrily. "PAPYRUS, I SWEAR TO TORIEL!" 

"sorry, sorry. i went too far with that one." Papyrus quickly apologized which Sans only sighed in response to. "I KNOW... JUST, PLEASE, YOU KNOW I DON'T LIKE YOU PICKING ON MY HEIGHT." Sans muttered and Papyrus nodded. "you're right. i do know that, i overstepped my bounds." He commented. "YES, YOU DID..." Sans murmured under his breath. 

"Ehem, I don't mean to interrupt this... But I have a friend coming over on a few hours and I should probably get ready." You spoke before the awkwardness got any worse.  "oh, well... i guess i needed to get to work anyway." Papyrus replied as he reached over and took the photo from your hand, tucking it back into his wallet. 

"I wasn't trying to be rude, I am so sorry if I came off that way." You replied with a frown and Sans looked at you with understanding glance, and so did Papyrus. "OH, WE KNOW. WE NEEDED TO GET GOING ANYWAY. DO NOT WORRY!" He spoke loudly and you smiled. You played with your hair and Sans and Papyrus stood up. "well, we'll be off. we had great fun, by the way. your photo albums were really cute and well, that drawing of me that you did, that was great." Papyrus told you with a wink and you felt your cheeks heat up. He had seen your baby pictures and the drawing that you had done of him. This is extremely embarrassing. 

"Uhh, t-t-thanks, P-Papyrus." You thanked him timidly. "it's no problem, we'll hopefully see you again soon." Papyrus remarked. "YES, I AGREE WITH MY BROTHER! COME VISIT US SOON!!!! YOU ARE WELCOME ANY TIME!" Sans chirped and you smiled. "I will keep that in mind. Thank you so much!" You thanked him as you stood up. You walked over and hugged Sans, "Thank you both for coming over to cheer me up." You thanked the boys as you pulled away from the hug with Sans. "IT'S NO PROBLEM!" Sans exclaimed. "same 'ere." Papyrus replied.

You smiled at Papyrus and walked over, pulling him into a hug. He gratefully returned it and you buried your face in his hoodie that smells of honey and smoke. You continued the hug for a few more seconds before he pulled away. "see ya later, (y\n)." He told you as he stepped away, nodding. 

Sans grabbed Papyrus' hand and dragged him toward the door. "BYE!" Sans spoke and you waved. "Bye, you two. Be safe!" You told them both and Papyrus nodded. "you too. cya." He replied as he and Sans walked out the door. They closed it behind themselves and you cleaned up the trash from breakfast before heading to the bathroom to get ready for the days events. You knew the already fantastic day would get even better once Maia showed up and you were extremely excited to say the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up having a pretty big school project to do while on winter break... So sorry, I wish I could've written more of my stories like I had planned, but that didn't happen. I hope you all had a great Holiday season! Oh, and happy new year! I hope to update more frequently in 2018 and I also hope you all continue to stick with my work! I am so honored that you guys take time to read my stuff! So, thank you all so much for actually reading this stuff, it really encourages me to carry on writing! I hope you enjoyed the fluff that I have included in this chapter and I think we can all tell this relationship is going places. ;^) 
> 
> I hope you all have a great year! Thanks for reading! <3 


	28. "The Arrival"

You finished getting dressed in today's outfit which consisted of a black camisole with a short sleeve denim button up over it it. You buttoned the shirt to the second to last button and brushed it off. With that, you wore a pair of black jeans and a pair of older sneakers.

You walked to a small jewelry box on your dresser and opened it, pulling out a small silver and crystal pendant necklace. The charm attached to it was of a small dragon wearing a bow tie. Maia had given it to you when you and her had graduated high school. You smiled every time you saw it and wore it for months straight after she had given it to you.

You carefully fastened the necklace around your neck and ran back to the bathroom, quickly drying your hair with your four year old (s\f\c) hairdryer. Once it was nice and dry, you quickly tidied up the bathroom with cleaner so it wouldn't be disgusting for Maia and wiped it down afterward. 

You then ran to get her some sheets, but you were suddenly stopped when you heard you phone start to ring. You pulled your cellphone from your pocket and looked at the caller ID, it was Maia. 

You instantly stopped what you were doing and answered the phone with a smile. "Hello, Jello. What's up?" you spoke and you heard Maia snicker. 

"Hey, I'm waiting outside, will you come down and open the door?" Maia asked and you grinned. "Of course, I'll be down in a jiffy!" You exclaimed and she giggled. "Okay, see you in a sec, bye!" She replied before hanging up. You grabbed your keys and headed out the door before quickly running down the stairs all the way to the first floor. 

You rushed to the door and opened it excitedly. On the other side stood Maia holding two blue suitcases in her hands. But, as soon as she saw you, she dropped the bags and pulled you into a big hug. "I missed you so much!" She exclaimed and you hugged her back happily. "I missed you too! Oh my God, we have so much to catch up on!" You replied as you pulled away from the hug. "Oh, you have no idea!" Maia giggled as she grabbed her suitcases again. 

"Here, I'll carry one up the stairs. Trust me, it's gonna be hard lugging those damn things up so many flights of stairs." You replied as you took one suitcase from her. "Alright, I won't protest." Maia responded as you and her started going up the stairs.  

By the time you and her had made it to the top, your arms were exhausted. "The hell was in that bag?" You asked her with a humored laugh. "An anvil." Maia spoke flatly. "Pssh, Maia. The truth, please." You snickered. "Alright, alright... It's literally just my clothes and my laptop." Maia spoke before laughing and you shook your head as you unlocked your door. 

You walked inside, lugging her suitcase behind you and you stopped with a grateful sigh. "Welcome back to my apartment, did ya miss it?" You asked her with a goofy smile. "What, this ole small dusty rundown of a home? Of course!" She joked and you shook your head. "My landlord did some renovations not long after you left, so this old place looks a lot better." You explained and she nodded. "Yeah, he definitely changed this place for the better." Maia remarked. 

"Anyway-" You started before she cut you off, "Is that your wallet in the couch?" Maia asked as she dropped her bag, shut the door and fast walked to the couch. 

"I don't think so?" You remarked as she picked it up and looked at it. 

"You sure?" She asked once more as she began to open it. 

It was at this moment you realized that it was Papyrus' brown leather wallet. It must've fallen from his pocket while he slept.  And you didn't think much of it until you saw Maia grin. 

"Ooh, Papyrus? And this must be fairly recent if he hasn't come to reclaim it... What was Papyrus doing here last night~?" She asked as she looked up from the wallet. Your face turned a bit red. "Maia, he wasn't here for what you think!" You exclaimed a bit quicker than you should have. 

"Oh really~? You don't have to lie to me, y'know. I can see that blush." Maia snickered and you quickly walked up to her. "Maia, we didn't do anything... He was here b-because..." You started before urgently looking around for something that you may be able to say as a replacement for the Austin story. 

"Go on before I call BS on your explanation. I still think you two got together la-" 

"Remember the guy that I mentioned was... Stalking me?' You asked her quietly, turning your head to look away. 

"Yeah? It wasn't Papyrus was it?!" Maia demanded to know. 

"No, it... It wasn't Papyrus. The guy, his name was... Austin." You began. Your voice was already starting to crack with emotion and Maia stayed completely quiet. 

"He never stopped going after me, even after I repeatedly said no. I was so stupid, I didn't tell anyone about it. I didn't know what anyone would think, I thought I had no one to go to. Audrey and Grace abandoned me and the only people I really had here to help me were Papyrus and that damned Mr. Smith..." You ran a hand through your hair as you began to feel tears well up in your eyes. 

"I didn't want to worry Papyrus, but I should have told him... One time Austin grabbed me by the waist and wouldn't let go, I really thought I was a goner, but Mr. Smith walked in and saved the day... He had a gun and rescued me. I thought Austin would stop persisting after a cop intervened..." You sniffled as you wiped a lone tear from your cheek, taking a shaky breath. 

"But he didn't, he started stalking my apartment, texting me under multiple numbers... I told Mr. Smith, but he was unable to help because he got shot by some criminal... And I wish I would've told someone else, but I was so damn foolish and I couldn't bring myself to..." You continued as another tear trickled down your face. Maia looked horrified and her eyes were filled with sympathy. 

"I was having terrible anxiety attacks, I never wanted to go outside, my blinds were closed all day... But I had to go to work so I got up and started walking." You shook your head and bit your lip as you paused for a moment, trying to regain your composure. 

You took long, shaky breaths as you rubbed your arm uncomfortably. You were trying to hold back the tears that the memories were causing, but that was very hard. The regrets of what you had and hadn't done panged in your heart and it was hard to hold yourself together. 

"But, he found me... Austin found me and grabbed me, he was pulling me backward, threatening to kill me if I didn't comply. He... He even slapped me on the face and as much as I fought back, I couldn't escape that creep's grimy hands." You sighed. 

"And just when I really thought I was done... Papyrus came out of nowhere. And... A-And he scared Austin off... He seemed really angry and t-threw him into a t-tree..." You managed to get out. But now, you were beginning to loose your composure again. You wiped the tears from your eyes and took another deep breath. 

"D-d-dammit, Maia... P-Papyrus saved me... He's was my savior... And he was again last night."  You continued explaining, fighting your way through the tears. 

"I had a nightmare about 'him'... And Papyrus was the only person I knew I could call about it. So even if it was around 3:00 AM, he answered and he and his brother rushed over to be with me because I really needed the support." You finished explaining and you looked up to see Maia was completely speechless. Her eyes were wide and her mouth merely gaped open. She was frozen in place for what seemed like minutes as she processed everything she had been told. 

You could only look down sadly at her silence and you began crying. But, her shock didn't last much longer after she heard you start to sob. She quickly lunged forward and gave you a big hug. "Don't cry, I'm so sorry that you had to go through that!" She told you softly as you buried your face in her shirt. 

"Please.. Never suppress your emotions like that again..." Maia pleaded urgently. "It's dangerous and we're all here for you, okay? Now calm down, everything will be alright." Maia spoke soothingly. 

 

\---------------------------------------------

It had been a whole hour since you had broken down in tears and you and Maia have finally been able to calm down. You looked over at her and smiled. "I'm so happy that you're here." You remarked happily.  

"I'm so happy to finally be back home. I love Ebott City so much... And hey, guess what? I have a plan!" Maia remarked and you lifted an eyebrow. "Yeah? What is it?" You asked as you leaned your head on your fist. 

Maia tapped a finger on her chin before running a hand through her blonde hair. "So, Asgore and I were talking and at 6:00, we're all going to go to the Dreemurr's place and surprise Papyrus with Asgore being back. It's kinda gonna be a surprise party, but not really a party." Maia explained and you smiled. "I like that idea, but is Sans in on it?" You asked and Maia tilted her head. "Who's Sans?" She asked curiously. 

"Huh? Did Asgore never mention him?" You asked and Maia shrugged. "I don't know who he is, so I'm not sure." She replied. "Sans is Papyrus' younger brother." You explained and Maia blinked. "Oh! Asgore did mention him, but never by name." She replied and you nodded in understanding. 

"Well, in that case... I don't think so." Maia replied. "Alright, so Sans and Papyrus are coming to Toriel's just for a dinner, or something, but they don't know Asgore's going to be there?" You asked and Maia smiled before nodding. "Precisely!" Was all she responded. 

"Well, I look forward to that. I can't wait to see the surprise on Papy's face." You chuckled and Maia giggled. "Papy, huh? You're a nickname status already?" She asked with a grin and you hummed. "Not really. I have called him Papy like, twice and that's it." You replied with a snicker. 

"Ah, I see..." Maia replied. 

There was a very awkward pause after that and you both looked around the room. Nothing was said for around three minutes until Maia turned back to you. "You didn't get my brownies, did you?" She asked suddenly and you frowned. "Oh crap, I forgot. I was going to get some for you but then the influx of chaos came and I didn't get to it... I'm sorry." You apologized with a sigh. 

Maia patted you on the back, "That's fine, I understand. We can go get some tonight." She suggested and you shook your head. "Nah, let's go now. We can go to the bakery and get their brownies." You spoke as you stood up. "Why not from the chocolate shop?" She asked which made you cringe. You never wanted to go back to that chocolate shop ever again. "Uh, n-no... The bakery has much better brownies!" You spoke suddenly and she let out a "Hmm" as she stood up. "Alright. Let's go." She replied. 

"It's not that terrible of a walk, we can make it there and back in about 40 minutes." You remarked. "We don't need to walk, I got a rental car." Maia told you with a cheeky smile.  "Oh, why didn't you tell me?" You asked with a small laugh. "Because I was waiting for a moment like this." Maia replied and you shook your head. 

"You're such a trickster, Maia." You snickered and Maia punched your arm playfully. "You betcha." She replied with humor in her gaze. 

"Well then, let's get going, shall we?" You remarked as you grabbed your bag, phone and keys. 

"Yeah, let's get rollin'!" Maia replied as she grabbed your hand, giggling as you both started going on your way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this chapter more than I do, because to me... It's kind of a filler in a way? I probably shouldn't have written in the reader telling Maia what happened, but I was hoping it'd portray a lot of emotion. And, hey... Maybe that worked? I'm not sure though, obviously. I'm the only person who's read this chapter so far and I am not a fair judge, I suppose. (You're the judge, oh no, set me freeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!) So next chapter will likely either jump to the dinner, or if you guys want, to the brownie shopping... Just let me know which you'd prefer because I have no idea what to do X'D
> 
> Anyway, have a great day\night!


	29. "Reunited Again"

You and Maia couldn't help but laugh heartily as you both got back in the car from shopping at the bakery. "Oh my God, did I tell you that I apparently have really frickin' cool neighbors?" You asked as you buckled your seatbelt, looking to Maia. 

"No, you didn't.... But I want to know all about them!" Maia replied as she eagerly awaited your response. 

"So, I have this guy named Tyler who lives here. He's adorable and I can hear him playing piano and ukulele sometimes from his apartment. He's apparently in a band with his friend Josh." You started and she smirked. "Adorable as in you like him?" She teased. You shook your head, laughing a bit. "No, no. I like someone else" Maia cut you off. "Aw. I wanna know." She remarked and you shook your head. "I can't tell you." You chuckled and she nodded in understanding. "Alright, alright. Continue on, then." She replied and you smiled. 

"Then my new boss apparently lives in my apartment building... Then this like, dope grandma lives there. She makes the best damn cookies! You have no idea how good they are!" You exclaimed enthusiastically. "Like, her snickerdoodles are pure heaven!" You added and she nodded. "Sounds good!" Maia remarked. 

"Oh, and then there's Evony... She seems to be a really cool blogger girl. I've only met her once, but I think we'd all get along! She is a firm supporter of monster's rights and she just seems like a cool friend to have." You finished talking about your neighbors with a bright smile. "We should invite her to your apartment sometime during my stay!" Maia suggested and you nodded excitedly. "Oh, yeah! That'd be fun and we could order pizza!" You spoke with a bright smile. 

You and Maia continued talking about all the stuff you two had planned to do during her stay as she pulled off the side of the road, driving home. But soon, you both grew quiet and listened to the radio as you let your voices have rest from all the chattering. 

Your mind went back to the bakery trip with Maia, it was hilarious. Maia ended up getting three types of brownies and you got two boxes of muffins and an éclair. You had both talked about seemingly random stuff during the whole trip. The topics ranged from job experiences to family stories. For example, you told Maia all about your last trip to visit your family and the chaos that had ensued. The time you two had spent in that tiny bakery was hilariously long. Who knew that you could spend over an hour in a store just looking at baked goods.

"(Y\N)." Maia's voice tore you from your thoughts and you looked over at her. "Oh, sorry. What?" You asked and her eyes flicked from you, then back to the road. "After we get back to your place, we only have an hour or so to get ready and go to Toriel's house." Maia explained and you hummed, tapping a hand on your chin. "Alright, well we can make that work." You replied and she nodded her head. "Okay, good. I was worried we'd be late for a bit there." Maia sighed in relief.

You were about to respond to her when you felt your phone vibrate and you picked it up, looking at who had written you. "Papyrus wants to know if he left his wallet here last night." You told Maia as you read the text Papyrus had left you. All it said was the following, "heya, did i leave my wallet at your place?" 

"Tell him yes and that you'll be able to give it to him tonight because Queen Toriel invited you to dinner too." Maia told you and you nodded, quickly writing Papyrus what Maia had said. 

"That's not gonna give anything away?" You asked with a tilt of your head. "Nah, don't worry. You won't mess up one simple plan with that small amount of information." Maia responded. You nodded and turned your eyes to the side of the road. "That makes sense." Was all you responded. 

You and her were now only five minutes away from your apartment. Joggers were running along the streets and some people were out walking their dogs. Apparently it had ended up being a really good walking day, because it seemed like more people were out than normal. 

But pushing those observations away, you began to think of Papyrus again. The fact that his embrace made you feel so happy and safe last night made you all warm and fuzzy inside. And even thinking of his contagious smile made you smile as well. 

Your mind drifted from thought to thought about Papyrus until you reached something, quite forward. Your imagination managed to create a scene in your mind of Papyrus gently pinning you to a wall, kissing you lovingly for the first time. The thought, it made you shiver and your face turned a light pink just in thought of Papyrus ever doing that. But surely he wasn't that type, right? 

You were soon snapped out of your embarrassing trance when you felt Maia staring at you. You slowly turned to see her stifling her laughter. Your cheeks only grew pinker in response to the embarrassment of being caught.

"Who, or what have you been thinking about, little miss?" Maia asked you with humor in her bright gaze. "U-uh... Nothing... Err- No one?" You replied and she snorted, covering her mouth. 

"Alright then, well... We're back at your place now. We gotta hurry and get ready." Maia responded as she pulled onto the side of the road to park. 

Maia turned off the car and you and her both grabbed your things, climbing out of the car and running to the door of your apartment building. You unlocked the door and threw it open, Maia following behind you as you sprinted up the stairs in record time. You made it to your level of the complex and unlocked the door, throwing your bags onto your couch before dashing to into your room. 

Maia soon closed the door that you had left completely open and walked to you room, peeking in the door. "We gonna change or stay in these clothes?" She asked you as she leaned against the doorframe. 

You thought for a moment, looking down at your outfit. It was pretty cute, perhaps even cute enough to impress Papyrus? The button up denim shirt fit you extremely well, it even showed off your figure a bit. You hummed for a moment, before looking at Maia's outfit. She was wearing a white t-shirt with Spyro the dragon on it and a pair of jean capris. On her feet were a pair of black and white Vans. 

"No offense, I love that outfit... But let's get you a little dolled up, I wanna see how the men of Ebott react to seeing you again in an alluring outfit~" You remarked with a silly grin and she giggled, taking your hand before practically dragging you to her suitcases. "Well, let's get to work then!" She exclaimed. 

\---------------------------------------------

Maia pulled up to Toriel's house with merely three minutes to spare. You may have gotten a little carried away with getting her all prettied up... You did a lot considering the short amount of time you had. You curled her blonde hair, gave her a bit of makeup, got her dressed and... That was about it. Hell, Maia didn't even need all that done, after all, she's already beautiful as heck! But, it was just for a bonding experience between you both and it was extremely fun. 

Maia had ended up choosing an outfit that consisted of black leggings, a white sleeveless blouse with a gray jacket over it and cute brown combat boots. You also lent her a silver necklace with a feather pendant on it. She looked absolutely Maiagnificent. 

But, it definitely isn't the time to think. Sans and Papyrus will be here any minute now and you want to be inside the house before the surprise begins. So, as soon as Maia put the car into park and turned it off, you both quickly climbed out, running to the door. 

You soon found yourself knocking on the door, almost frantically. The door opened fairly quickly and you were greeted by a smiling Queen Toriel. "Hello, (Y\N)! And you must be Maia, correct?" She asked and Maia nodded. "Yep, that's me!" She chirped in response. 

"Well, it's nice to meet you! Come on in you two, the boys will be here any second now!" Toriel remarked as she stepped out of the way. 

You and Maia both nodded before stepping inside. You instantly looked around the room and saw many familiar faces. Undyne, Alphys, Chara and obviously, Toriel. But, there was one face that you had only seen in photos before, it was Asgore. He was a lot taller than you had anticipated. 

He smiled and waved at you, "Hello there, you must be (Y\N)! Chara and Toriel have told me all about you! I'm so glad you could keep Papyrus out of trouble while I was away." Asgore commented as he walked over, extending his hand to you. You took his hand and shook it, smiling politely. "Psh, oh yeah. He's really a hard one to handle, y'know?" You spoke with humor in your (e\c) eyes and Asgore let out a deep and hearty chuckle. 

Asgore let go of your hand and turned his gaze to Maia, a giant smile was now on his face. "Maia!" He spoke, his voice was quite husky as he walked a bit forward, pulling her into a big bear---big goat hug. "I missed you!" He exclaimed and Maia laughed. "Asgore, it hasn't even been a day since we parted." She giggled as she hugged him back. "Haha, I suppose you're right. I maiaght have missed you despite that, though." Asgore joked and Maia snorted. "My God, Asgore." She spoke with a humored expression. 

"They're here, get in your places!" Chara called and Asgore quickly pulled away, sprinting to the best of his ability and belly flopping behind the couch. You covered your mouth to stifle your laughter and everyone seemed to just stare at the door so, you and Maia did the same. 

A few moments later, an excited knock sounded on the door. It was obviously Sans' knock. A few seconds after that, you and the rest of the party could hear Papyrus' voice. So, Toriel smiled and cupped her hands around her mouth, "The door's open, boys. Let yourself in!" She exclaimed. 

After that, the door opened slowly and the two skeletons walked in, looking at the group that was all staring at them with giant grins on their faces. "uh, what's goin' on?" Papyrus questioned as he tilted his skull to the side. "Oh, nothi-NOW!" Toriel called out and Asgore shot up, dusting off his purple Hawaiian shirt. "Guess who's back?" He asked and Papyrus' grin grew wider than you had ever seen it before. "asgore, buddy!" He spoke, excitement in his voice and he rushed in. "Papyrus!" Asgore spoke in response happily. Asgore made a beeline straight to Papyrus and pulled him into a bone crushin- well a hopefully good, but not bone crushing hug. 

This reunion brought a giant grin to your face as you watched the two friends reunite. Sans was smiling as well, actually, he smiles all the time... But you could tell he was happy for his brother nonetheless. He clapped his bony hands together as the two buds pulled away from the hug. "i missed ya, pal." Papyrus remarked as he shoved his hands in his orange hoodie's pockets. "I missed you too, Papyrus. It'll be so nice to catch up now that I'm back!" Asgore exclaimed and Papyrus nodded. "heh, you bet. we have a lot to talk about, actually." Papyrus replied in a way that made you uneasy. 

Was he going to tell Asgore about what happened with you? You supposed it didn't matter, but what if Asgore replaced you in a way? Papyrus didn't just befriend you because he missed Asgore, did he? No, that makes no sense... He already has a lot of friends, so he is likely just friends with you just 'cause. But, there's still a possibility that he'll stop talking to you as much, which crushes your heart just thinking about it. 

"(Y\N), are you okay?" Maia asked as she shook your shoulder, shaking you out of your trance one again. "Uh, yeah, sorry... I kinda got lost in my thoughts." You explained and she looked at you silently for a moment before taking your hand. 

"Hey, remember when I told you that'd I'd never loose touch with you while I was away?" Maia asked and you nodded slowly. "Well, I'm sure you also remember how worried you were that I'd cut you out of my life as soon as I made new friends." Maia continued and you nodded your head once again. "Yeah, I was really worried that I'd loose another good friend." You replied. "I know, but I promised you that I wouldn't be like that... And I kept my word, I may not have texted you all the time, but we texted each other pretty often, and I never forgot about you!" Maia explained and you looked down at your shoes. 

"Now, just because Papyrus' friend returns doesn't mean he'll abandon you, especially after how he was there for you during all of that stalker shit." Maia continued on and you nodded. "So, don't be worried about him forgetting you. After all, he's been there for you whenever you've needed him and he'll continue to be there for you. That won't just cease because Asgore came back, so don't you worry." Maia finished and you looked up at her. Maia's eyes were filled with a mix of sympathy and care and you smiled weakly. 

"Thanks Maia, I really appreciate the support... But how did you know?" You asked with a tilt of your head. "Well, a mixture of jealousy and worry was plastered all over you." She remarked and you lifted an eyebrow. "I'm not jealous." You spoke flatly and she looked at you with a humored expression in her green eyes. "Tell that to your face." She said in a half-joking manner. 

You were about to reply when Maia suddenly looked over and saw Sans walking toward you and her. Sans was dressed in a pair of loose black pants, a shirt that said "Future Royal Guardsman" on it and his signature blue boots. He sped up his pace as soon as he saw you and Maia had noticed him. 

"Oh my God, he's adorable!" She whispered to you quietly and you suppressed a chuckle. "HELLO (Y\N)! WHO'S THIS???" Sans asked in his normal loud, yet cheery voice once he reached you. "Hey Sans! This is my friend, Maia! Remember I said a friend was coming earlier? Well, that's her!" You explained and the cute stars in his eye sockets appeared. "OH WOWIE! IT'S SO NICE TO MEET YOU, MAIA! I'M SANS... OH, I THINK (Y\N) ALREADY INTRODUCED ME, BUT THAT'S ALRIGHT!" Sans spoke with a bright smile as he reached out to shake her hand. Maia smiled at this and shook his hand happily. "It's very nice to meet you too! I like your shirt!" Maia complimented him and Sans blushed lightly. "THANK YOU SO MUCH, I MADE IT MYSELF!" He remarked and Maia smiled brightly. 

"That's so cool! How long did it take?" Maia asked, obviously just trying to keep a conversation going with him. "HMMM... I'D SAY AT LEAST TWO HOURS, IT SHOULD HAVE ONLY TAKEN ONE... BUT I WANTED IT TO BE MAGNIFICENT JUST LIKE ME! MWEH HEH HEH HEH!" Sans replied as he clenched his fists together happily. "Well, the hard work definitely paid off. That's one awesome shirt!" She complimented him again and he blushed again, just a bit more. 

"W-WELL, I LIKE YOUR OUTFIT TOO! IT'S VERY WONDERFUL!" He remarked, getting a little flustered. "Oh geez, thanks! But, it's not as cool as yours." Maia remarked and he seemed to be slowly turning into a blueberry. "O-OH GOODNESS G-GRACIOUS... OH, I HEAR SOMEONE CALLING ME... I'LL SEE YOU TWO LATER... BYE!" Sans spoke as he ran into the crowd of people who were talking amongst themselves. 

"I didn't hear anyone calling him..." Maia muttered and you snorted. "Congrats on making him turn as blue as a blueberry. I've never seen him that blush-y before." You joked. "'Blush-y', is that a technical term?" Maia asked you playfully and you both chuckled happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy heck, I'm tired so this A\N will be short. Don't forget that Maia is based off of Alpha-Maia (MaiatheAlpha) who is a friend of mine. She also writes on Quotev and I strongly recommend you check out her work if you like mine! Also, I'm not sure of I've mentioned this... But this fanfic is on four websites right now. Deviantart, Quotev, Wattpad and Archive of our Own. If you're interested in following my stuff on those sites as well, I have the same username on all of those sites and that is TheIndianaCrew. I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter! Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful day\night! 


	30. "Embarrassment"

It had been around thirty minutes since the blushing Sans had run away and you and Maia had ended up just chatting with everyone who was attending. Dinner was in about fifteen minutes and you were excited for what Toriel had said was for dinner. She had made vegetable soup and home cooked cheese biscuits to go with it. 

Even from the living room you could smell the delicious food being kept at a simmer. And well, after a while, the wonderful smell made your stomach growl and Maia chuckled. "Hungry?" She asked you you giggled. "Apparently so." 

You two were going to converse some more before you turned your head to see Papyrus walking up to you. You smiled and waved and he returned the smile, waving as well. 

As soon as the tall-statured skeleton finished his stride over to you and Maia, he shoved his hands into his pockets. "heya, (y\n). this your friend that's stayin' with ya?" He asked and you nodded. "Yeah! This is Maia, she's actually the one who discovered your wallet in the couch." You replied as you reached into your pocket, pulling out his wallet and holding it out for him. 

Papyrus gratefully took his wallet back and slipped it into his back pocket. "oh yeah? well, thanks to the both of ya. it's also nice to meet ya, kiddo." Papyrus spoke as he grinned a bit. "It's no problem! And, it's nice to finally meet you in person! Asgore and I became good buddies over the past year and he's told me a lot about you." Maia replied. 

"oh, yeah. i think he may have mentioned ya in a few phone calls of ours. you're an animator, yeah?' Papyrus asked for clarification and Maia nodded with a smile. "You betcha!" She replied enthusiastically. "ey, that's cool! and that confirms it, he did mention ya in a lot of phonecalls." Papyrus replied with a chuckle and Maia smiled brightly. 

"That's cool! (Y\N) mentioned you in her phone calls too, I'm glad she met someone after what happened with her ex friends." Maia remarked and Papyrus nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "well, i can assure ya that i have benefited from our friendship just as much as she has. she helped me get through a lot of shit by just bein' there." Papyrus admitted and you lifted an eyebrow. He hadn't mentioned anything like this before. 

"Well, that's good to know. It seems like you two fit together perfectly, then." Maia remarked and you and him smiled. "of course." Papyrus replied as he took his hand from his pocket, giving you a gentle fist bump. "it's like we stick together like honey." Papyrus remarked and you face-palmed. "Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that was a pun?" Maia asked and you sighed, still covering your face. "Because it is." You replied, your voice was a bit muffled due to your hand covering your mouth. 

"Oh!" Maia spoke as she began to chuckle. "heh, why thank ya! but it seems we got a tough crowd over here, ey?" Papyrus remarked as he gestured to you and you slowly removed your hand from your face, slowly holding up a thumbs up. "Hmm, seems so, but every comedian has to have a critic." You replied with a grin, leaning on one hip and crossing your arms. 

"hm, i suppose so... but why don't you criticize my pun then, ey?" Papyrus replied, grinning as well. "Hmm, well... I didn't find it that humerus considering you didn't even have honey on you at the time. So, that makes the pun less sweet and more of an inside joke since Maia doesn't know about your honey obsession, honey." You replied and Papyrus shrugged his shoulders, still smiling happily. 

"maybe not, but that still makes it funny to me, sweetheart~" Papyrus was practically purring and Maia's eyes widened. You blushed, averting your gaze and Maia's mouth was now partially hanging open. 

Well, that pun war definitely went somewhere you weren't really expecting it to go to. 

You looked up and saw Papyrus was blushing as well, he even seemed to be sweating a bit nervously. "eh, sorry. i kinda went too far." He quickly apologized and you looked up at him, locking your gaze with his. "Don't apologize... There's no reason to." You responded and Maia seemed to be internally screaming. 

"well, uhh... kay, then." Papyrus paused, his gaze darting around the room. "so, have you two gals had fun?" Papyrus asked, obviously trying to turn the conversation around. But, what surprised you was that he didn't leave. He instead opted to stay and continue talking with you and Maia. That really made you happy. And well, you were slowly convincing yourself that perhaps, Papyrus shared the same feelings as you do. Or maybe he just really likes you as a friend... Either way, you really wanted to deny any possibility of him liking you after you lied to him about Austin. But, you tried to wipe those negative thoughts from your head, after all, anything's possible. 

"So far, yes! Oh! You and Sans should come over in a couple days, we're gonna invite a girl from (Y\N)'s apartment complex and we can all eat pizza and watch a movie or something!" Maia exclaimed and Papyrus hummed in thought. "oh cheese, that's awfully nice of ya to invite us. olive pizza a lot, and sans and i will definitely want to come." He replied and Maia smiled. "This'll be so fun! When are two free?" Maia asked and Papyrus tapped a phalanx on his chin. "tibia honest, i am free pretty much all week past five, and sans should be mostly free, except i think he is goin' to watch anime with undyne 'n' alphys on tuesday night." Papyrus replied, gently reaching into his pocket and pulling out a toothpick before gently sticking it into his mouth. 

"Alright, well... How about Wednesday night then?" Maia suggested and Papyrus nodded. "sure, as long as the other gal is free then as well." Papyrus replied and you nodded. "I'll call her up and ask later, but she says that she works at home and barely goes out, so I'm sure it's good." You replied and placed your hands behind your back, rocking on your heels a bit. 

"she sounds pretty nifty." Papyrus replied and you nodded. "She's pretty cool! Well, I've barely talked to her, but I'm planning to change that!" You spoke enthusiastically with a wide grin. "ey, that's good! it's always good ta meet new people." Papyrus responded and you nodded. "I agree full-heartedly!" You replied cheerily. 

 

\---------------------------------------------

You and Maia smiled and waved goodbye to the Dreemurr's and to the skeleton brothers as well before you climbed into Maia's rental car. The night had ended up being exhausting and you both were just planning on going straight to sleep once you got back to your apartment. 

Maia was going to visit some other friends tomorrow and you had decided to work a half day at Muffet's. In fact, maybe in the rest of that half day you could go talk with Mr. Smith about what had all happened. 

After all, Austin is still at large and he could try this on any other girl out there. That thought made you uncomfortable, so just like Papyrus had suggested, you were going to meet with him soon. Maybe with the newfound information, the police could take him in and imprison him. 

But, you also felt nervous and didn't really want to meet with Mr. Smith. Sure, he's the detective that'd listen to you the most, but what if during the entire meeting he just insists on flirting? Surely the man knows his boundaries and wouldn't flirt at such a bad opportunity, right? 

Perhaps you're not giving the man much credit. You don't even know him that much after all. And well, he did save you and was planning on helping you get Austin caught, so he must not be completely bad. 

And it's honestly quite odd to think that he had been shot by some guy at a bar. You wondered what had happened to cause the fight that ended up getting Mr. Smith shot in the chest. Was it over a grudge? Perhaps over a woman? That'd be silly though, surely Mr. Smith wouldn't fight a man over a girl. Maybe he was protecting a lady from someone though. 

"What are you thinking about now?" Maia asked which tore you from your thoughts. "Mr. Smith surprisingly enough, I have to meet with him soon and talk about Austin." You explained with a sigh and she nodded. "Go ahead and text him, hopefully you can catch him tomorrow. The longer you don't report this, the longer that creep is out there." Maia remarked and you nodded. "Oh, and if that weirdo tries to make any advances, leave immediately." Maia added. 

"I will, but all he's ever done is flirt and kiss my hand. Everything else is pretty normal." You commented and she shrugged. "Those are still signs that he's interested. Just stay safe and keep me on speed dial. If he does do anything, I swear I'll kick his ass!" Maia exclaimed and you chuckled, nodding. "I can actually see that... But you don't want to get charged with assaulting an officer either." You replied. "Honestly, if it were to punish him over trying to make inappropriate advances, then I'd just be happy that you were safe." Maia responded. 

"Fair point, but I think he understands that I don't like him now." You replied and pulled your phone from your pocket, going to your contacts and clicking over to your texts to send him a new message. "Well, at least you got 'no' embedded in that tiger's head. He just won't stop." Maia mumbled.

You clicked on the text bar and began to type Mr. Smith a message. You carefully thought over every word as you typed them in and proofread along the way. You wanted your message to seem more serious so he wouldn't be as keen to take it in a less important way. And after a few minutes of crafting the perfect message, you sent this strand of text. 

"Hello, it's (Y\N). I hope you're doing well, Mr. Smith. anyway, I was wondering if I could come in tomorrow to talk to you about the guy who had been stalking me... Things escalated to where he ended up grabbing me and was trying to kidnap me. On top of that, he said he would kill me and he also said so many other terrible things. I was saved by Papyrus, the guy you called an overgrown carrot in Faerie Dane Fresh Market and I haven't seen Austin (the stalker) since. But I have a feeling that he's still out there when he shouldn't be. I don't want him hurting or doing this to any other women. So, I was hoping I could come in and talk to you about what happened so that maybe an investigation can be opened to catch the deviant. I should have contacted the authorities right away, but I was scared and overwhelmed. So, please get back to me. I was hoping we could do this around 3:00 PM tomorrow once I get off of work. But, it's really up to you, sir. Anyway, I suppose I'll hear from you soon. Thanks for taking the time to read my text."

You didn't expect him to write back right away, so you put your phone on your lap and looked up to watch the road. You were nearing the street to your apartment and that filled you with relief. You just wanted to get Maia situated with some sheets for the couch and then go to bed. 

"So, what did you think of the boys?" You asked Maia suddenly after a long silence. "I am guessing you mean Sans and Papyrus, correct?" Maia asked for clarification. "You betcha, the bone bois." You remarked before pausing, "Actually, that sounds kinda weird. Ignore that I ever said that." You added quickly and Maia snorted, laughing. 

"I think they're both really cool! Papyrus is funny and Sans is a cute little marshmallow!" Maia replied and you giggled. "He's so smol compared to Mr. Tol Carrot." You replied and Maia just burst out laughing. "Did you just call Papyrus 'Mr. Tol Carrot'?" She asked with humor in her green gaze. "Hell yeah I did, I mean, it's accurate!" You remarked and Maia just laughed harder and you soon joined her. 

Once the laughing had died down, Maia turned down your street and soon parked on the side of the road. "You know, you and Papyrus are really close, huh?" She commented and your breaths hitched for a moment, she knows you like him, doesn't she? "Yeah, I'd say that we're really good friends." You replied, trying to throw her off. "Oh yeah? Good friends?" She replied and you nodded. "Precisely!" 

You got out of the rental car, grabbing your things before beginning to walk to the door of your apartment building.

Oh geez, was your crush that obvious? You didn't want Maia to know about it. If she did, you were afraid she'd just tease you about your infatuation and you didn't want to be embarrassed over it. Sure, you liked a pun loving skeleton, and that may seem weird to most... But damn, he's pretty darn sexy! And honestly, it may seem weird to think of a skeleton as 'sexy' but he is! 

Maia soon got out of the car and ran up to you just as you got the door unlocked. "I didn't upset you, did I?" She asked and you shook your head. "No, don't worry. I'm just really tired and need some sleep." You somewhat lied. It was more of a half-truth than a blatant lie. 

"Alright, well... That's good." Maia responded and you both walked inside, up all the stairs until you got to your apartment. Then, you unlocked that door and headed straight to your room. You got onto your knees and pulled out a box of sheets from under your bed. You opened it and pulled out some (s\f\c) sheets and then walked to Maia, handing them to her. "Here you go, have some sheets. Now that'll be $100." You spoke with a serious expression on your face, but as soon as Maia laughed, your serious look completely shattered and you laughed too. 

"Thank you, now goodnight, (Y\N)! I hope you sleep well!" Maia spoke and you gulped. "Yeah, me too. And this time I won't have a skeleton to cuddle if I have a nightmare." You remarked and then froze. "Wait, hold up... You cudd-" Maia began to speak and you turned a bright red before interrupting her. "It was accidental and in my sleep!" You exclaimed but soon covered your mouth. "You just made that worse." Maia spoke while suppressing a laugh. "Dammit, just... Goodnight Maia." You spoke as you quickly hugged her. After that, you ran to your room all flustered, shutting the door behind you. 

Why does having crushes have to be so embarrassing? And why is it that the people closest to you are always able to pick up on them? It's just so awkward when they figure them out so easily. And you know Maia means no harm, but it's really messing with you regardless. 

But, those thoughts of humiliation soon ebbed away after you had gotten ready for bed. They were replaced by happier thoughts of the flirt-ish pun battle you had ended up having with Papyrus earlier. But as soon as you began to drift to sleep, your thoughts shifted a bit and you couldn't help but think of Papyrus and being in his gentle embrace. And before you knew it, you fell into a deep and peaceful slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's not mention that I practically forced myself to stay awake until I finished this because I told myself it'd be out tonight. Oh, it's past a quarter till 3:00 AM right now, but please don't kill me for staying up to finish this. I know sleep matters but I needed to finish this mess of a chapter! Honestly, I hope the chapters stop going all over the place soon. Well, unless you all like it this way better. But I have no idea what you guys like, because well, I'm not you XD
> 
> Oh, I should probably mention that I was able to complete the bonus chapters of my first ever x reader which means it's finally complete. :'D I mean, it's not even a year old yet, but it felt like I had been writing it for a long time. I ended up disliking all the writing in the first half of the story, but if you haven't read it yet, I still suggest it. So, here's the link. https://www.quotev.com/story/9282191/Not-Just-Evil-Underfell-Papyrus-X-Reader (I didn't put it on here because I don't like it that much anymore, but others love it so, eh.)
> 
> So yeah, thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have enjoyed this chapter! I hope you all have a lovely day\night! <3


	31. "Turning Over A New Leaf"

Your eyes quickly opened to the sound of the alarm clock on your phone going off. You let out a loud sigh as you sat up, pressing the 'off' button on your phone. "But I was sleeping so good..." You groaned as you lazily rolled out of bed, falling onto the floor below. "I'm okay-" You spoke sleepily as you pulled yourself off of the ground. 

You yawned as you unplugged your phone from its charger, checking to see if you had any new messages. And as soon as you clicked to open your phone, you saw you have a brand new message to read. It's from Mr. Smith.  

"Oh... He wrote back..." You mumbled to yourself as you slid open the text message. 

And as your texts opened, you began to read it out loud quietly. 

     "Ah, yes, hello! I am doing very well, though my son is having trouble with the knowledge that I got shot. Luckily though, I was still wearing my bullet proof vest, so I only had minimal bruising. But, we're both getting through the shock and I'm sure we'll be just fine. As for you wanting to come in tomorrow, I think that's entirely possible. I should be stuck in the office tomorrow anyway and having some company would be nice, even if the company is the victim of a terrible crime. I should be available to take your case at any time tomorrow, as long as it's not past 6:00 PM. I am very sorry for what happened to you, Miss (Y\N), and I hope be can catch the man who made you live in peril and fear. Now, have a nice night!" 

You hummed to yourself and quickly responded to him with a simple "Thank you, Mr. Smith! I'll be at the station around 3:30 then. Have a nice day!" before setting your phone back on your nightstand. You quickly checked the time once more and ran to the bathroom to take a quick shower. And once you were done taking your shower, you wrapped yourself up in a towel and walked into your room, going towards your closet and picking out a nice "coffee shop employee"-esque outfit. Since it was colder outside, you put on a long sleeve light blue button up shirt and a pair of darker washed jeans, black socks and your favorite pair of shoes. 

Muffet had mentioned a while back that she didn't have a uniform or anything, so you were pretty much good to wear anything, as long as it wasn't inappropriate, or shall you say, 'too revealing' or 'risqué'. So, that's pretty cool! In fact, that means that you don't have to have some stupid uniform drycleaned every week. And well, that definitely takes a whole lot of stress out of your life for sure. 

After you finished getting dressed, you dried your hair and brushed it to be presentable. And once you were done with that, you gathered everything you needed for the day, put it in your bag and walked out of your room to the kitchen quietly. You definitely didn't want to wake up the sleeping Maia. After all, you're sure that she's exhausted from her trip and needs all the rest she can get.

You opened the fridge and looked around it, but you didn't see anything that interested you, so you closed the fridge and turned around to the counter only to be greeted by the muffins that you had bought yesterday. Your mouth started to water almost instantly and you opened the packaging quietly, pulling one of the (f\f) muffins from the packaging. Next, you poured yourself a glass of water and began eating your breakfast quickly. 

You savored every bite of the delicious muffin until it was gone. And once it was gone, you threw away the trash and set your cup of water on the counter for later. But, as much as you enjoy loitering in your kitchen, you have to get going. So, you made sure you had everything you needed and quietly tiptoed to the door, opening it and closing it behind you carefully. 

And with that, you were off. You walked down the stairs to the first floor, opening the front door and making your way down the sidewalk to Muffet's for your first day of work.  

\---------------------------------------------

After your anxiety filled walk to Muffet's had finally come to an end, you let out a sigh of relief. You were so glad that nothing bad had happened on your walk and that Austin was nowhere to be found. 

You walked up to the glass door of the shop and opened it, walking inside the café with a smile over the fact that it seemed like your life was finally going back to normal. Even if Austin had only been around for a week or so, it felt like he was stalking you for months and it had completely drained you. So, you were extremely happy to be recuperating.

"Oh, good morning deary! You didn't have to come in here today. I understand that you've been though a lot recently and you may need some more time to recover." Muffet greeted you as soon as she saw you standing in the shop. "Oh, that's very kind of you! But, I wanted to get my life going again now that everything's slowly going back to normal. Though, I will have to go around 3:00 because I have to discuss the situation with the police." You replied as you walked to the counter. "Ah, well, that's alright, deary! Welcome to Muffet's!" She responded with a smile. You smiled in response and Muffet adjusted her glasses.  

"Well, come with me. We need to get you into your apron and roller skates before the customers start piling in." She spoke as she started walking into the back, beckoning you to follow her with one of her many hands. "Oh crap, I have to wear roller skates?" You muttered in a slightly worried tone. "Well, okay, not yet... For now, you'll be wearing those shoes with the wheels in the heels. You need a bit of training before tackling the actual roller skates." Muffet chuckled to herself. 

"Oh, thank goodness. I thought for a second that I'd just be falling on my butt all day long." You giggled as you followed her into the back. "Oh no, don't you worry, deary. I wouldn't ever do that to you." Muffet responded in a humored tone.  

Muffet took an apron off of the hook in the back room and walked over to you, placing it around your neck. "Once again, welcome to Muffet's, (Y\N)! It'll be absolutely lovely to have you here, deary!" She spoke with a big smile. "But before you can go to work, we need to get you a nice little name tag. I had this made for you the other day!" Muffet added as she pulled a small metal name tag from her apron, gently handing it to you. 

You looked down at it, your name was written on it in a regular font and next to your name was a small spider printed on the tag. It was actually quite adorable and Muffet seemed to be beaming. "I came up with the design one night and now every worker I recruit is going to have one just like it!" She exclaimed happily and you smiled, pinning it to your apron neatly. 

"That's fantastic, Miss Muffet! I absolutely love it!" You replied with a smile as you tied the apron around your back. "Oh, I am so glad! I was worried that you wouldn't like it at first! But, then Grillby assured me that it was a great design, so I felt a bit more confident about it." Muffet replied as she adjusted her glasses. 

"Confidence is always great- but who's Grillby? I don't think I've ever heard that name before." You responded and Muffet covered her mouth, turning a bit pink. "Oh, he's just a business rival from the underground. Well, he's a friend now, actually." She giggled and you smiled. "Alright, well I hope to meet him someday." You replied and she nodded. "He comes in from time to time, he's made of fire and wears extremely loud clothes. You can't miss him! Oh, and he ever does show up... Please let me know, alright?" She spoke with that faint blush still prominent on her face. "Of course, ma'am!" You replied with a polite nod. 

"Oh! I almost forgot, the shoes! Give me one second." Muffet replied as she quickly roller skated to her desk in the corner of the room, picking up a shoe box. "I do hope this is the right size, I had to take a guess, after all." She replied as she rolled back over, handing you the shoebox. 

You looked down at it, and surprisingly enough, it was in fact your size. "Woah, congrats on guessing right!" You told her as you looked back up at her with a smile. "Oh, goodie! Now, get those on and meet me back at the counter. I need to start training you today. I hope you're ready to learn how to make macchiatos, lattes, cappuccinos, frappuccinos, and coffee galore!" Muffet joked. 

"Oh, I'm beyond ready." You giggled and she nodded, smiling. "Ah, that's fantastic! Now, your locker is over there, so you can put your bag in there. But, feel free to keep your phone with you as long as it's on silent! You never know who may be calling you with urgent news." Muffet told you as she began to roller skate away. "Of course. Thank you so much for everything!" You called after her as she began to disappear out the door. "Oh, it's no problem, deary! Thank you so much for being here!" She replied and you smiled before bending down and putting on your new heelys. 

"Oh boy, oh boy, today's gonna be one hell of a day." You muttered under your breath with a chuckle. 

\---------------------------------------------

You have now been working for around four hours and have gotten the basic hang of how to make some of the most ordered drinks. In fact, Muffet had told you that you have been learning extremely fast. That of course made you smile. But now, you're getting pretty tired and are ready for your first break. But, your break is at 10:30 AM, and it's only 10:00 now. So, you still have 30 minutes of work left before you can go to the back and sit down. 

But, that's alright. At least the customers here are so much nicer than the ones that were at Harvey's. In fact, you've met so many lovely people today. It was actually shocking you how many people were coming in that you hadn't seen before. It sometimes surprises you how big Ebott City truly is. 

But, you were cut out of your thoughts when the bell on the door rang, causing you to look up. Holding the door was a very tall man with black hair. He was holding it for a shorter-yet still pretty tall man with dyed silver hair and glasses. 

The shorter man looked up at the taller man and seemed to bashfully walk into the café, hands in the pockets of his black skinny jeans. He's dressed in a white dress shirt with a nice black vee-neck sweater over it. Now, the taller man is even more so dressed to impress. He is definitely rocking that 'autumn' look. In fact, as soon as he followed in the shorter man's footsteps, you could observe his outfit in more detail. 

He's wearing a gray sweater with a nice brown coat over it, a gray scarf around his neck and a cobalt blue beanie on his head. The man's brown gaze is quite warm and his smile seems to brighten up the café. Now, the other man seems to be the polar opposite. His cobalt blue eyes are cool, yet he seems very embarrassed- or perhaps nervous in a way. He doesn't seem to brighten the room as much as the other man, but he's giving off a calming feeling, despite his nervousness. 

"Good morning miss!" The taller man spoke as he walked up to the counter, glancing at the chalkboard menu. "Good morning to you as well, sir!" You responded with a cheery smile. "May I have a large vanilla latte and a spider donut? Oh, and Cobalt, darling, what would you like?" The tall man paused as he looked over at the shorter guy who just so happened to be observing the menu. "Oh, uhmmm..." He seemed quite taken aback, his gaze jumping around the menu until he slowly looked to you. "I-I'll take a medium iced mocha and a spider brownie." The shorter man, or 'Cobalt' as he was called, replied with a tinge of worry in his tone. 

"Oh! That must be a new addition to the menu, I'll take one of those as well." The taller man responded as he began to reach into his pocket. "I'll pay for this, will you please go get us a table?" The man asked Cobalt and he nodded. "Of course, Tobi." He responded with a smile as he turned and walked to a table. 

The man quickly pulled out his wallet and you couldn't help but be curious and ask him something that may be quite personal. "I don't mean to intrude on any boundaries, sir... But how long have you two been together?" You asked him curiously. You aren't even sure if they are a couple completely, but they sure seem like one. 

"Oh, Cobalt and I have been together for 3 years now. And don't worry, I'm not offended by you asking." He replied as he pulled out a credit card. 

"Aw, that's really cute! You both looked very happy so I was just curious. Now, your total will be... $13.95. Will that be debit or credit, sir?" You asked as you looked up at him. "That'll be debit, if that's alright." He replied with a gentle smile which caused you to smile too. "That is just fine, now if you will, please slide your card." You replied and he slid his debit card and finished the transaction. 

"Now, I apologize, but we're very low on staff today. And my boss is on break, so I'll bring you two your food in a few minutes. So please, forgive me for any unconventional wait that may cause." You replied and he nodded. "That's alright, we'll be patient." He responded as he slipped his debit card back in his wallet, pulling out money and gently sliding it into the tip jar. "Don't worry about angering us, we won't leave a bad review." He replied with a wink and a chuckle as he waved and walked over to the table that Cobalt was already seated at. 

You then quickly began to fix the men's drinks and put their sweets on a round tray to take over to them. The brownies and donuts had been freshly made earlier today by Muffet herself and they look absolutely delicious. You'll have to remember to get one on your lunch break later. 

Once their drinks were complete, you put everything onto the tray, placing it on your shoulder before starting to roll over to them. You aren't exactly fond of these new shoes that Muffet has selected to prepare you to be on roller skates all day, but they help you glide around faster, so that's a thing. 

"Here you two are, a large vanilla latte, a spider donut, two spider brownies and a medium iced mocha." You spoke as you set the tray on a table next to them, starting to hand out their food and drinks one by one. 

"If your food isn't satisfactory, please do let us know. I just started working here today, so I may have not gotten the recipes completely right. Please do forgive me for that." You told them with a polite curtsy. 

"I am sure your cooking is just as lovely as you are. Do not worry, my dear." The taller man spoke with a gentle smile and Cobalt nodded gently. "I'm sure everything will be great. And even if it isn't the best, don't sweat it. It's only your first day and you have plenty more instances to improve." He replied with a bright smile, adjusting his black framed glasses. 

That was probably the first time you've seen Cobalt talk to you without any nervousness wavering in his tone. Well, at least in the few lines that he's spoken. In fact, his true demeanor seems to be repressed from strangers... Though he seems all cheery and happy-go-lucky when he's talking to his boyfriend. His entire face lights up and he seems extremely happy. It's like talking to him completely washes away all his fears, and that, is super cute. 

"Thank you two very much for the support! I really appreciate your kind words, now please, enjoy your meal!" You told them with a smile and a dip of your head. "Thank you, you enjoy it too---" Cobalt began before his face became red, instantly looking away once he realized his mistake. Now, his boyfriend, whose name you still haven't really learned, instantly sprung into action. He looked over to you, a smile on his face as he spoke "Yes, you too. Enjoy our meal!" in response to his boyfriend's slipup, giving him a comforting smile and a thumbs-up. 

Seeing how much Cobalt's mood seemed to greatly improve after that, your smile widened. They really are couple goals, aren't they?

You smiled and waved at the pair, before wheeling back to your post with the tray in your hands. And now you have to wait for the upcoming customers. But hey, at least you only have 15 minutes left before your break. That's surely something to celebrate over for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, it's officially been an entire year since I started writing my x readers! My one year anniversary of publishing my first chapter of NJE on Deviantart was yesterday! I kinda missed it, so, oops... But I'm excited about it! I can't believe it's been an entire year! 
> 
>  
> 
> And since the last update, this story has gotten 800 hearts on Quotev! That literally made me freak out and tear up, thank you all so much for reading my stories! I greatly appreciate it and it honestly always makes my day. Oh, and with this update, the story will be over 200 pages long. That's another milestone as well! Anyway, I need to get going now, but I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for reading and I hope you all have a Sanstastic day! 


	32. "Bitterness"

You grinned as you walked out from behind the cash register, now that 15 minutes have passed, you're all good to go on break. In fact, Muffet should be coming out of the back at any second now to take over for around 20 minutes or so. Or, at least until your break's up. Then, you have one more break for lunch in around two hours. Then, you get off at 3:00 and go straight to the police station. 

"Ah, you ready for your first break, deary?" Muffet asked as she roller skated out of the back room to the counter. "Yes ma'am!" You replied with a smile, looking around the café. The Tobi guy is still standing at his table, but his boyfriend seems to be missing. Perhaps he already left or something? 

"Alright, well you have 25 minutes to rest. Please be back at your post by then." Muffet replied as she walked behind the cash register. You nodded, smiling a bit. "Of course, miss!" You responded. "Oh! And I know you're friends with Papyrus, I just want to let you know that he almost always shows up right about now to get a bottle of honey. So, keep your eyes peeled, deary!" Muffet remarked and you dipped your head. "Ah, thank you! I'll probably just sit around if that's okay." You responded. "Oh, that's just fine! Do not worry, m'dearie! Just go relax." Muffet spoke calmly as she beckoned to a table near the corner. "Alright, thanks!" You exclaimed as you turned around to walk forward. 

But, you didn't get very far, because suddenly, you turned your head to see someone walking toward you. But, it was only for a split second, because before you knew it, they ran straight into you, making you stumble backward and begin to fall. Almost instantly, you felt a pair of hands wrap around your waist to catch you. And in response, you reached up with wide eyes, grabbing onto their shoulders. 

"Oh, I am very sorry, I didn't see you there! Are you alright? Oh, I am very sorry. I almost forgot about formalities. My name's Tobias, by the way. It's a pleasure to meet you." Came the warm voice of Cobalt's boyfriend. His brown gaze is filled with a worry and you honestly had no idea how to respond. 

Well, you're not hurt, per se... But  you're definitely in shock. Tobias' stature is tall- extremely tall, especially when he's this close to you. And for such a tall man, he's handsomely toned. Adding to that, he smells of vanilla and roses, yet that scent also has a musky-or shall you say more 'masculine' smell to it.

Being in such a romantic pose with him is leaving you speechless. For everyone walking by the shop, you're sure that it looks like you and him somehow got stuck dancing. But, you cannot stay frozen like this forever. You have Papyrus to worry about. After all, he could pop in at absolutely any moment now. 

"Oh, I am fine! Just a bit startled. I should have looked both ways before stepping out like that. I am very sorry, Mr. Tobias." You apologized in return, meeting his gaze with your own (e\c) eyes. 

"Don't be so formal, I get enough of that from work at City Hall. You can just call me 'Tobias', or 'Tobi' for short. What would your name be, dear?" Tobias asked you. "City hall? You work there? What do you do? Oh, and I apologize, my name's (Y\N)." You replied. 

"Oh, I am the second in command to the mayor. 'Tobias Welshire' is my full name, you've probably seen me on news before." He started before pausing. "But, don't let that change how you treat me. I am just a normal man." He added soon after. 

"Oh, I actually... I don't watch the news, I don't even have a TV. And I don't read the newspaper either, so your name is new to me, Tobias. The politics in this town drive me mad though. Especially about the monsters, I can't believe the mayor tried to kick them out!" You huffed, looking away for a moment. "Wait, do you support monsters being aboveground? Or were you voting to not give them equal rights?" You asked suddenly as your gaze flicked back to his. 

Tobias let out a hearty laugh, "I was kinda the one who stopped the mayor from doing that, so I'd like to think I am pro monster." He commented. He hummed in thought for a moment, "Oh, and not to mention I am shopping in a monster owned shop." Tobias added and your eyebrows furrowed. 

"Well, I was dragged to the protest of this place when it first opened, and now I work here. So you never really know, Tobias." You replied quietly. And it seemed like he was going to reply, but he was cut off when footsteps could be heard on the floor walking towards both of you. You looked over and saw Papyrus, your heart instantly dropping out of your chest. "Oh, sorry. Let me get you straight on the ground again." Tobias told you as he gently pulled you forward, causing you to face plant right into his chest. "Shit..." You whispered into his clothing. 

"oh, heya (y\n). who's this, now? a friend of that shi--- mr. smith guy?" Papyrus asked, he seemed a bit aggravated. "Oh no, this is uh... Tobias Welshire..." You replied as you backed out of his chest, your face a bit red from embarrassment. "Mr. Smith?" Tobias questioned with a tilt of his head and Papyrus looked at him coldly. "he's a crooked cop—er, police detective who owns a very questionable used car lot..." He grumbled and you rubbed your arm uncomfortably. "I've heard he's basically unofficially voted 'the most attractive bachelor in Ebott City'." You replied. 

"Oh, that guy? He's the most attractive? I wonder where standards went." Tobias spoke with a cheeky grin. "Oh, but I really don't like that guy. He doesn't treat women as well as he should." Tobias spoke with distaste and you turned to see Papyrus looking Tobias up and down. He looks like he is pissed and trying to desperately hide it. "yeah, that smith is just bad news." Papyrus grumbled. 

"Well, he's not completely bad. He did save me from... 'Him', he took me home and offered to take the case. And it's not just for some 'favor', I really think that behind his 'gentlemanly player' façade is a good man... He just has a tough time showing it." You replied in Mr. Smith's defense.  

The two men stayed silent for a moment, Papyrus didn't exactly look happy that you had defended the man that has flirted with you quite a lot. "If he has a façade over himself and he is a good guy, it'd be wise to stop it. He's teaching his child horrible habits, his son has been around my daughter before and flirted with her." Tobias responded. "there may be a good side of 'em, but that doesn't mean i have to like him." Papyrus sighed, putting his hands in his orange hoodie's pockets. "he just makes me nervous, i really don't want him hurtin' ya, or anyone else... and the fact that he has a child that's ending up just like him scares me." Papyrus continued. 

"I understand, but just try and think... Perhaps there's a whole lot that happened in his life that turned him into this... I mean, everyone has their own demons and perhaps... That's how he deals with them." You suggested and Tobias let out a hum. "Perhaps so," Was all he spoke as he fixed the beanie in his head. 

There was silence for a moment and you looked over at Papyrus, he seems quite worried about your safety. Especially considering how you were so quick to defend a man he sees as despicable. "Well, you don't have to worry. I'm not pretty enough for Mr. Smith to go after me more than he has already." You spoke to try to assure Papyrus that you'll be fine. 

But, you were surprised by what happened next. Tobias gently took your hand and you turned to him with confusion in your (e\c) eyes. He slowly lifted your hand to his lips and kissed it, a smile on his face. "That is a lie, you are a beautiful woman." Tobias responded and you blushed brightly. "Oh, geez..." You chuckled nervously, running a hand through your hair. "Thank you, Tobias." You smiled as your eyes met Tobias' warm brown gaze. 

"well, ya know... ya could ease up on the 'gentleman' stuff, bucko." Papyrus spoke, his raspy voice filled with... Jealousy and anger? 

"Why would I ease up on my gentlemanly nature? I believe it's good to be a gentleman." Tobias remarked and Papyrus walked a bit closer, clearly annoyed. "ya have you hands all over her, man, i see right through your a-" Papyrus was cut off by Cobalt walking back over, his hands in his pockets and his head lowered. "Sorry that I was gone so long, hun." He apologized quickly as he walked up. "And I totally didn't just watch from around the corner the whole time..." He whispered quickly and quietly. In fact, you almost missed it, and Tobias didn't seem to notice, he just smiled. 

You looked to Papyrus, he had an "oh shit" expression on his skull and he quickly took a toothpick from his pocket, quickly popping it into his mouth and chewing it intently. He looked away from the group in shame, as if he had just realized that he had done something wrong. He rubbed his arm nervously and you soon noticed that his skull had turned a light tangerine in embarrassment. 

"That's okay, dear! I was just having a conversation with (Y\N) over here and her boyfriend." Tobias remarked as he gestured to you and Papyrus. Your face grew even redder than it had been before, "O-oh... Well, we're not a couple. We're just close friends." You spoke in response and Cobalt lifted an eyebrow, looking over to Papyrus and giving him a sympathetic nod. "Oh, I apologize, you two just seemed like a couple." Tobias apologized, with a dip of his head. "It's alright, I understand. I think everyone mistakes people for couples from time to time." You replied and you turned back to see Papyrus who looked to be blushing even more. But, it also looked like he had taken a very serious blow and was taken aback by it. 

"well, we're not a couple... so you were mistaken. but i apologize as well, i was gettin' to be mean to ya and i regret it. i sorta thought ya were just tryin' to woo her like that smith guy and i didn't like it one bit." Papyrus admitted reluctantly. "I am simply a nice man who thinks women should be respected and treated well. No worries, I wasn't trying woo her." Tobias replied with a wink and a smile, showing he clearly knows something that you do not. "well, i appreciate that... it's nice to know that ya respect women like that." Papyrus replied. 

"Of course, I believe people are to be respected, after all." Tobias responded with a nod and Cobalt gently nudged him. "I don't mean to rush this along, but we need to pick up Amelia in roughly 25 minutes." He spoke as he looked up at his boyfriend. "Oh, geez. Time sure does fly." Tobias remarked with a husky chuckle.

"It's been lovely talking to both of you! I hope you both have a wonderful day! And good luck with your first day of work here, dear!" Tobias remarked as he gently took hold of Cobalt's hand. "Don't let anyone put you down about it, alright? Remember that you're just learning." Cobalt added once again with the same calming effect from earlier. "Thank you both very much! Have a safe trip!" You replied with a wave and a smile. "yeah, you two be safe and i hope you have a great day." Papyrus responded with a salute. "Thank you!" Tobias and Cobalt replied as they both walked to the door, going outside. 

You grinned, looking over at Papyrus. "Hiya, Papyrus!" You chirped as you fixed your hair. You were hoping to avoid any questions about what had just occurred, but judging by the confused expression on Papyrus' skull, that was definitely not going to happen. 

"...what was that about?" Papyrus asked with a confused tilt of his head. You sighed, rubbing your arm. "Nothing really, Tobias and I were just tal-" "are you friends with him? i've never heard ya mention him before." Papyrus interrupted you and you shook you head. "No, we only met today. He was just a friendly customer." You replied and Papyrus looked you dead in the eyes and lifted a single 'bone'brow. "strangers don't usually dip their barista, (y\n)." He started as he pulled out a chair, sitting down on it. "even if they're 'friendly'." Papyrus added and you shook your head. "Papyrus, you're seeing this whole thing wrong. I wasn't looking where I was walking, he ran into me and not only was I already barreling over, but these heelys weren't helping me regain traction, so I fell and he caught me in a really awkward way." You tried to explain and Papyrus let out a grumble.  

"well, explain why he was so touchy. what about you falling straight into his chest? he didn't even catch you once another man was around." Papyrus replied accusingly and you rolled your eyes. "Good God, Papyrus! You've got to stop making so many assumptions!" You shouted at him and he growled in response, looking to the side. "For a guy who's always negatively talking about how people assume you're a bad guy, you sure don't practice what you preach, do you?!" You spoke angrily. 

Papyrus seemed taken aback and took the toothpick out from his mouth. "well it's not my fault that i'm worried that ya will be hunted by another damn predator! there's been two so far, (y\n)! i just wanna keep you safe, okay? that crazy son of a bitch could have killed you!" Papyrus fired back. "Papyrus, I know the Austin situation was bad, but I won't ever get back into it again! Tobias is a taken man and Mr. Smith is just a player. He knows that I don't like him, so he's slowed down on his attempts. Please trust my judgment, I'm an adult, Papy!" You groaned as you rubbed your face in annoyance. 

"i have tried to trust your judgment! but the problem with you is that you can't tell me what's wrong! do you understand how much that hurts? i am here for you, but you just box up things from me that are life threatening!" Papyrus remarked angrily. "I... I was just afraid of what you'd think, okay? I had just met you, then I lost two of my best friends, and then I practically lost my job. I had already vented to you plenty of times and I... I just didn't want you seeing me as incompetent and I didn't want you to abandon me too!" You admitted, turning your head away, tears brimming in your eyes. 

"(y\n)... why would i ever abandon you? Papyrus asked you as he stood back up slowly. "Because I'm just a disingenuous human being... I lied to you and so many others that I've been just dandy, when in reality... I was dying inside... Austin brought such fear into my life and I wanted to get help... But I couldn't..." You spoke as you balled your hands into fists. 

"i would never abandon ya, (y\n)... i have gone through similar problems many times before. I know that it's hard to tell others... but it's even harder to face things alone." Papyrus replied as he walked to you, quickly pulling you into a hug. You instantly hugged him back, burying your face in his soft orange hoodie once again. "I-I know... I'm so sorry, Papyrus... I really didn't mean to hurt you... Please forgive me..." You spoke, you voice filled with emotion. "i have already forgiven you, honey... i could never stay angry at you." Papyrus replied with a sigh, rubbing your back with his bony hand. 

"i owe ya an apology as well... i shouldn't have been so snappy, and i sure as hell shouldn't have been so judgmental. you're right, i can be a total hypocrite, can't i?" He sighed. "Maybe a bit, but so can I. Everyone can be hypocritical from time to time. But you were right, it seemed sketchy and I respect you for wanting me to stay safe. Especially after everything that's gone down." You spoke, pulling away from the hug and looking up at him. "Thank you for watching after me, I really do appreciate it." You added with a small smile and he returned it. 

"well, i'm just tryin' my best ta be here for ya. i like ya and want ya staying safe." Papyrus responded. "Well, you've done that a thousand times over. Thank you for being such a great friend, Papyrus. I love you." You told him, your heart thudding in your chest and your cheeks turning a faint pink from the three words. His breath seemed to hitch and he fell silent for a few moments which worried you. "same goes to ya too, (y\n)." He replied as he scratched the back of his neck. 

"Well... I have to go meet with Mr. Smith today at the police station at 3:30, would you mind tagging along?" You asked Papyrus nervously and he shook his skull. "nah, i would love to. i kinda want to come just in case anyway... plus, i have my own account of austin to tell." He replied and you nodded. "Well, thank you then! Now, let's get you some honey, honey." You chuckled as you took his hand, leading him to the counter. "I only have like 12 minutes left of my break, but we can chill until it's over. I think it'd be sweet to hang out with ya while on break! It's unbeelievable that you're here! Oh, now let's quit pollen and get you your order!" You spoke and Papyrus snorted loudly. "that last one was a stretch, but damn, you're good!" He chuckled as you both fist-bumped. "Thank you, thank you!" You giggled as Papyrus began to order his signature... 'drink'. 

Today may have been back and forth so far, but at least all the conflict is resolving itself. And well, all you can really hope for is that the day will get even better and that going to the police station won't be absolute torture. But, in the end, as long as Papyrus is with you... Every situation will be 10x better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise this is just a very quick A\N, unlike all my others. Okay, so I just wanted to say... Woo, it's only been 5 days since I last updated this story and I managed to already get out a new chapter! Hallelujah! I mean, this hasn't happened in a long time! I'm absolutely stoked, man X'D
> 
> Now, I hope you all have a lovely day\night! <3


	33. "The Companions"

The twelve minutes hanging out with Papyrus went by way too fast, in fact, before you knew it, your time was up and you had to get back to work. So, you stood up sadly and held your hands behind your back. "I am very sorry, but I gotta get back to the register now. As always, it was fantastic talking to you and I look forward to seeing you again later!" You told him suddenly and he frowned. "already? ah, that sucks." Papyrus replied as he stood up from his chair, walking closer. "i gotta agree with ya. it's always cool talkin' to ya and hangin' out." Papyrus responded and you smiled in response, nodding. 

"We should hang out more often, to be honest, it seems like we never get one on one Papyrus and (Y\N) time... We should totally just have a night to watch movies together and get to know each other better." You suggested and he nodded. "i agree, we're almost always with other people. some alone time with ya would be cool." He replied. 

"Well, we're gonna have to schedule that someday then!" You remarked and he nodded. "welp, i don't wanna hold ya up. ciao, kiddo." Papyrus spoke after a short silence and you raised an eyebrow. "Did you think that you were gonna escape a hug?" You asked mischievously and he snorted. "nah, i was hopin' ya would ask tibia honest." He responded as he held out his arms. 

You couldn't help but smirk as you glided straight into his arms, giving him a big bear hug. His arms wrapped around you tightly and you smiled, your head pressed against his soft orange hoodie. And even if you can't see it, you have a feeling Papyrus is smiling as well. And you're correct about that, because he has the biggest smile that a skeleton can possibly muster plastered onto his skull.

Soon the bell on the door rings, signalling that someone has walked into the store. But, the footsteps don't continue and you hear slight snickering, so you break the hug and look over to see Maia standing by the door. "What's sweeter, the honey or the hun, Papyrus?" She asked and you facepalmed. Well, this is very awkward. Especially with what happened last night. 

Papyrus quickly turned and awkwardly scratched the back of his cervical vertebrae. "oh, heya maia. 'sup?" He asked and Maia grinned. "Nothing much. Just coming to visit my bestie at work." She replied and you let out a slight chuckle. "Then I'd better get back to work, talk to you later Papyrus!" You told him with a smile and he nodded, waving as you rolled back behind the counter, looking at Muffet. "Sorry Miss Muffet, I'm a few minutes late." You apologized and she dipped her head, adjusting her glasses. "That is alright, (Y\N). I understand. Just please, if you have another disagreement with anyone in the store, please take it to the back. The customers probably do not want to hear that." Muffet responded and your cheeks heated up a bit in embarrassment. 

"Right, that was in public... Oops. Once again, I am really sorry. I guess I didn't think about that." You sighed and she patted your back. "That is alright deary. Now, can you man the cash register for a few minutes? I have business to attend to in the back." Muffet responded and you nodded. "Of course." You replied and she smiled. "Thank you, dear! Have fun and call me if you need any assistance!" Muffet replied as she quickly roller-skated away, going through the door that leads to the back. 

You walked back to the cash register and looked up to see Maia and Papyrus talking, but as soon as she saw that you were free, she seemed to say a quick goodbye to him as she walked to you. 

"Okay, so this morning I woke up and I had forgotten that you were going to work, so I started freaking out. I thought you'd been kidnapped! But, then I remembered and I decided to come get breakfast before I head out for the day!" Maia explained with a bright smile. 

"Ooh, alright! Well thank you so much for coming Maia! See anything you'd like on the menu?" You asked as you leaned against the counter, looking forward into her green gaze. She hummed in thought for a moment, looking up at the menu. 

"I'll take a mint tea and a glazed spider donut." She replied after a few seconds. You nodded and gave her a thumbs up, typing this information in and calculating the price. "That'll be $5.43, will that be cash, credit or debit?" You asked and she shoved her hand into the pocket of her pants, pulling out a wrinkled $10 dollar bill, handing it over. "Cash if that's good." She replied and you nodded, putting the money into the register and handing her back her change. "Your food will be ready shortly, Maia. Just give me a quick sec, kay?" You spoke and she smiled. "Of course, (Y\N). You don't need to rush." She replied as she put the spare money into the tip jar. 

You walked to the drink machines and began making her tea, the fragrant scent of mint wafting around you. For some reason, it brought calmness upon you and you took a deep breath, closing your eyes for only a split second before fetching a glazed donut, putting it into a small bag, walking back to the counter. 

"Here you go! When will you be back later today, Maia?" You ask as you set the items she ordered in front of her. "Around 5:30 probably. I'll bring dinner if you'd like." Maia replied. You tap a finger on your chin in thought and shake your head. "Nah, I think I have some food at home that we can have." You respond. 

"Alright! Well, I gotta roll, so I'll leave you and your boyfriend to tal- wait, where did he go?" Maia asked in surprise as she turned to see Papyrus gone. "First off, he's not my boyfriend, second off... Yeah, he does that a lot. He tends to either quietly walk out or just disappear out of thin air. Not sure which one." You replied and Maia shrugged. "I mean, monsters have magic and stuff, so it probably relates to that." She replied and you nodded. 

"(Y\N), are you sure he's not your boyfriend?" Maia suddenly asked and you nodded quickly. "Maia, we're merely friends." You replied and she sighed in defeat. "Alright, well I gotta go. I'll see you later (Y\N)!" She responded as she grabbed her food. "Have a safe trip, Maia! I'll see you later!" You spoke with a gentle smile, waving at her a nice goodbye. "Cya (Y\N)!" Maia replied with a quick wave before turning and walking out of the store. 

\---------------------------------------------

After a pretty tiring—yet interesting work day, 3:00 'o' clock finally rolled around and you almost immediately clocked out. 

Once Maia had left, the day had ended up getting pretty boring and nobody else you know had showed up, so it wasn't as exciting as you'd hoped it'd be... But it's still much better than your experiences at Harvey's. 

"Hey Muffet, I gotta run. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" You spoke as you strode into the back, hanging up your apron up and grabbing your bag out of your locker. 

Muffet looked up from the papers on her desk and folded her hands together. "Alright deary! It was absolutely wonderful having you today!" Muffet chirped with a bright smile. "It was just as wonderful having you around as well, Miss Muffet!" You replied with a polite nod. "Oh, thank you! That is so sweet of you to say! Now... Good luck at the police station. I hope everything goes well." Muffet responded as she stood up from her chair, nodding her own head. 

"Thank you, I need all the luck I can get. Especially with the detective I am working with." You replied with a sigh, causing her to give you a reassuring glance. "I am sure that everything will be fine, I will see you tomorrow, deary!" Muffet spoke calmly. "Thanks again and see you later!" You responded with a wave before walking out of the back, heading back into the main part of the café. You look around for Papyrus but he's nowhere to be seen. "I hope he's not gonna be late..." You murmured to yourself.

"Nah, I'm right here." Papyrus spoke from behind you which caused you to nearly jump two feet into the air. "Holy crap Papyrus! You scared the shit outta me!" You gasped as you placed a hand on your chest, feeling your rapid heartbeat. 

Papyrus let out a gentle, yet raspy chuckle. "sorry, i just wanted to spook ya." He apologized and you shrugged in response. "That's alright! I'll be honest, I probably would have done the same." You replied with a smile. "well, maybe one day you'll get me back, ey?" Papyrus responded as he shoved his hands into his hoodie's pockets, a grin on his skull now. "Hmm, perhaps so, Paps." You replied with a smug look on your face. 

He let out another deep chuckle as he scratched the back of his neck. "welp, ya ready to go?" He asked after a few moments causing you to nod. "Yeah, are you ready?" You asked in response and he looked up at the ceiling, thinking for a moment. "heh, ready as i'll ever be, (y\n)." He replied after a few seconds. 

"Same here, same here broseph..." You spoke with a deep sigh. "well, let's not think too much into this mess, i mean, it's necessary, ya know?" Papyrus started. "otherwise, he's not gonna get the punishment he truly deserves..." He spoke darkly, reaching his hand out of his pocket towards you. 

You gulped, biting your lip as you took his hand. "Yeah... I guess you're right." You sighed, looking down at your shoes. "don't worry though, everything will be just fine and i'll be by your side the entire time. kay, kiddo?" Papyrus assured you and you smiled a bit again. "Of course, thanks Paps!" You replied a bit more cheerfully.

He grinned, "hold on tight." he spoke as suddenly, you felt the ground leave your feet, causing you to gasp as you tightened your grip on the skeleton's hand. Your eyes scanned around, but for mere seconds, all that was visible was pitch blackness and you and Papyrus. Your hair was waving, as if you were free falling, when suddenly, you squeezed your eyes shut and your feet felt the ground again. Your eyes open quickly and you look around, your (e\c) gaze observing whatever it can. You're now in front of the police station. 

"Papyrus... Can you...?" You began as you turned to him slowly. A shit-eating grin soon appeared on his skull as he let out a small chuckle. "can i what, honey?" He asked, tilting his head to the side with a sense of mischief. 

"Can... Can you teleport?" You asked suddenly, blinking your (e\c) eyes in confusion. "teleport? nah, nah. i dunno what you're talkin' 'bout, (y\n). i merely take shortcuts." He replied with a shrug of his shoulders smugly. "A shortcut... Through time and space?" You asked, furrowing your eyebrows. "what? 'course not. do i look like a tardis?" Papyrus replied in a humored tone. 

"Of course not! You honestly look more like a lanky traffic cone." You replied and he went dead silent before bursting out laughing. "a traffic cone? well, that's a new comparison!" He chuckled heartily. You smiled about making him laugh and straightened your back, looking up at him with a bright smile. "Hey, let's go inside, okay?" You spoke softly and he nodded. "alright, let's go meet with that shit-stick, shall we?" Papyrus replied and you winked, linking your arm with his. "We shall! Onwards, Papyrus!" You remarked as you both walked to the door. 

Once you both got to the entrance, he unlinked his arm from yours and walked to the door, holding it open for you. "ladies first~" He spoke in a charming tone which caused you to giggle a bit. "Oh, such a gentleman! You don't see many of those these days, thank you kind sir!" You spoke with a wink before walking inside the police station. Papyrus soon followed after you as you walked to the front desk. 

The lady sitting at the desk looked up at you over her glasses, sliding them down on the bridge of her nose more as she turned to Papyrus. Her countenance immediately changed and she rolled her eyes, her lips forming into a scowl at the sight of him. 

The lady's hair is curly and blonde and her eyes are an interesting shade of emerald. She's dressed in a gray blue pantsuit and her glasses are slim-framed and black. 

You tried to ignore her obvious hostility toward Papyrus to avoid being kicked out just for confronting her, so you just quietly took his hand again reassuringly. "Hello ma'am, are you here to see anyone?" The woman asked, her gaze emotionless. "Yes, we do, misses. We're here to see Detective Noah Smith." You replied and she just stared at you blankly. "Do you have an appointment?" She asked, leaning back in her chair, crossing her arms. 

You looked down at her name tag to read her name before looking back up at her. "Yes, of course, Ms. Constable. Mr. Smith and I scheduled this." You responded and she sighed. "Alright, go to the right, walk straight, then turn right again and he's the first door on the left." Ms. Constable grumbled. "Thank you very much, Ms. Constable! I really appreciate it. C'mon, Papyrus. Let's go." You replied as you started walking, pulling him along with you. "m'kay, i'm comin'." He replied as he tried to keep up with your pace. 

And as you were walking away, the last thing you heard Ms. Constable utter was this, "What even is that Mr. Smith man in to?" that remark caused you to faintly chuckle as you and Papyrus walked down the plain white hallway to go to Mr. Smith's office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I apologize for the lousy chapter, it's just been weird recently and writers block tackled me to the ground and all I could really do was watch YouTube for like three weeks because of my lack of motivation returning. Wait, I think I got sick too which prevented me from writing for a bit while I got better... Anyway! I should probably talk about stuff for a little bit before I sign off, ey? 
> 
> Well, then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter more than I did! I hope that the next chapter will be 100% better! And I'm sure it will, because, like, SMITHY AMIRITE? I love writing for my son ;3
> 
> Also, I noticed that I accidentally switch tense while writing a lot, so I'll try to stop doing that. And pardon any spelling errors you find, I'm absolutely pooped right now and need to sleep as soon as possible. So, my proofreading may have been less... 'Successful' 
> 
> Alright, well I do think that's all! Thank you all so much for reading! I really appreciate it so much! I hope you enjoyed! Have a wonderful day


	34. "The Detective"

You and Papyrus walked down the hallway, following Ms. Constable's instructions all the way until you got to a door with plaque that read "Detective Noah J. Smith". Right outside every few doors was a chair and right beside Mr. Smith's office's door was in fact, a chair just like the others. 

You took a deep breath, placing a solid knock on the wooden door. As soon as you moved your hand from the door, a quick shuffling noise was heard and the sound of something falling onto the ground rang out. "Yes? Who is it?" You heard Mr. Smith's voice speak in a surprised tone. "Oh, it's (Y\N) (L\N) and Papyrus..." You replied and there were a few seconds of silence. 

"He was there for the event, correct?" Mr. Smith asked which caused you to say "Yes, he was there near the end." in response. "Alright, then he must remain seated outside whilst your statements are being taken." Mr. Smith responded, his voice not having the same sound to it. "oh, that's bull-" Papyrus began before you gently nudged him. "It's okay, Papy. Just wish me luck, kay?" You told him and he sighed, nodding. "'alright, good luck, (y\n)." He sighed as he sat in the chair. 

You slowly pushed open the door and walked in, closing the door behind you and you looked up to see him. Mr. Smith seemed startled, "My God, I didn't say you could come in-" He suddenly remarked, a strange feeling coming off his aura. 

You looked down and saw his shirt was partially undone, a slightly toned chest was in view along with a pretty impressive bruise on his abdomen, likely from the gunshot. You were frightened as you backed yourself up against the door, but you soon realized that he seemed very distressed and was actually buttoning up his shirt. His hair's a mess and a lack of sleep is implied with the dark circles under the man's gray eyes. 

"I apologize," He began, his voice cracking. "I was merely looking at my bruise and I was not expecting you to come in so swiftly." He spoke as he buttoned up his shirt, reaching around and taking his tie that was loosely hanging off his shoulder and tying it back around his neck. 

You slowly walked over, swallowing nervously as you sat in the chair placed in front of the desk. "No, it's alright, Mr. Smith... That's a pretty nasty bruise, huh?" You replied and he leaned back in his chair. "Yes, it is, (Y\N)." He sighed, running a hand through his graying brown hair, clearly in a mix of emotions. "Noah, I can come back another day if you're not fit to take my statements today." You told him and he quickly shook his head, giving a weak smile. "No, no... I'll be just fine. We need to bring the bastard that did that shit to you down. Every hour that ticks by makes it harder and harder to find him." Mr. Smith commented. 

You looked around on his desk, another plaque with his name on it was placed off to the side and a closed laptop was in front of him. Along with that, a notebook and a holder of pens were on the left corner and a mug that says "#1 Dad" sits next to him, partially filled with coffee. Hung on the walls of the office are various pictures, one's a painting by Vincent Van Gogh and the rest are pictures of what you assume to be family. In one photo, he and his son are sitting in a convertible in sunglasses and matching suits, smiling as they pose together, and in another, Mr. Smith looks much younger and he's with two people that you haven't seen before. 

"I-I... Now... If you would like to start, do you know the criminal's name?" Mr. Smith asked you, tearing you attention away from the photos. "I only know his first name, it's Austin." You replied to him, wondering if he'll make it out of this without crying. 

He simply nodded, opening his laptop and quickly typing in some information. "Alright, describe his basic appearance to me, please." He spoke, looking over to you. 

You tapped a finger on your chin, sighing. "He has short, spiky blonde hair, he's fairly tall, not as tall as you, but at least six feet tall... And he has piercing green eyes." You replied and he quickly typed the information in on his computer. "We'll look up his general appearance characteristics to see if he matches any other suspects in our system later when we have more employees in." He spoke, running a hand through his hair. "Any other defining characteristics that would make him stand out?" He asked. 

You thought long and hard, "I think he may have had a crooked nose, like it had been broken before." You responded and he nodded, adding in the information. "Alright. Thank you, Miss (Y\N)." Mr. Smith responded as he lifted his coffee cup to his lips, taking a swig of what seemed to be completely cold java. 

You looked up at his gray eyes, it's very concerning that over the few minutes of being in here, they've just grown duller and duller. This is the first time that you've seen Mr. Smith look so broken. What the hell caused him to crack like this? Instead of having the normal 'player' shtick, he now looks melancholic and tired—very tired.  

You grew silent, just staring into his eyes and he stared right back, his body language conveyed a sense of hopelessness. The normally clean cut and well kept man had short stubble, messy hair, a wrinkled suit, and his tie is crooked from when he had quickly retied it. "Mr. Smith, are you okay?" You asked him in a concerned tone. 

He hesitated, looking down at his lap, then back at you. "Yes. I am fine. But this isn't abo-" You instantly cut him off, "You hesitated, Mr. Smith. On top of that, you look like you haven't had a good sleep in days and you've been on the verge of crying for the past 10 minutes." You replied, folding your arms. "You can't just tell me you're fine and expect me to believe you. What's wrong, Smith?" You asked in a worried tone, cocking your head to the side. 

He let out a deep sigh, rubbing his face. "Everything's just been really hard recently... Let it go, I'll be fine in a couple days." He replied and you shook your head. "Nope, friends don't just let things like this go." You spoke flatly and his mouth dropped open somewhat in surprise. He definitely doesn't look like he expected you to call him a friend, but at this point, he kinda is whether you like it or not. 

"So, go on. My ears are opened." You told him kindly with a gentle smile. He stuttered and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well... After I got shot, I guess... I suppose everything started turning to shit..." Mr. Smith slowly began to explain reluctantly. "My son... He was distraught when he heard what happened. He loves me so much and realized how important I am to him when my life was so close to being snatched away from him..." He started. 

"Now, don't get me wrong, I adore Noah... He's my child, my flesh and blood... I know I seem selfish and like a douchebag sometimes... But he is one of the best things to ever happen to me. I am distressed as well that he almost lost his father... I don't want my son to be an orphan! He has no family that he could even live with if I passed... So he'd be thrown into foster care with complete strangers." He sighed, placing a hand on where his bruise is. 

"And... And so many people look at me, and they call me a bad father... I have heard people saying Noah should be taken away from me... But I can barely understand why! I am a single father, I have a busy career and two jobs... Yet I make time for my son. I help him with his homework, I make sure he is happy and I love taking him out for ice cream whenever I can." He added, tears forming in his eyes again. "I go to all his sports games that I can, which is not common of fathers... And..." He sighed, sniffling as he gently brushed his hand against his desk. 

"You're a single father, and it doesn't sound like your son's mom is in the picture. May I ask why?" You asked and he nodded weakly. "He wasn't meant to be conceived..." Mr. Smith replied, now rubbing his arm. "And he didn't come from a long term relationship either, so once his mother found out she was pregnant, we had already gone our separate ways long ago... She was absolutely pissed. But, she and her family wanted to keep the baby regardless and she said once he was born, I had to deal with him. And well, she kept that stance and still holds it to this day. I didn't want him to go to a stranger's home, especially if I knew nothing about them. So, I decided to raise him myself." Mr. Smith explained. 

"What about his grandparents? Surely he has some of those." You spoke, cocking your head to the side. "No. His mother's family doesn't want to be involved, and my parents... They passed away when I was a young man. They've been gone for over ten years." He responded, his lips twisting into a frown. "He truly only has me and his babysitter." He added dolefully. 

His hands are shaking with emotion, his eyes watering with tears the more he tries to hold his emotions back. "Well, surely one day you'll find a lady to love that'll be a wonderful wife to you and a great mother to Noa-" You began and he beat a fist on his desk, startling you. "Dammit, (Y\N)! I've already met her... My dream girl, the only woman I've truly loved abandoned me!" He spoke, finally starting to cry, the tears rolling down his cheeks which surprised you greatly. "Noah's mom...?" You asked and he shook his head. "No... My parents died when I was only 18, Lehana.... Lehana was there for me during a long struggle. All my life, I've been scrutinized for being 'odd' and 'different', but it was like she was the only girl to truly understand and know me." He spoke, emotion almost making him hard to understand. 

"I had known her for a while and we had been really close friends, and I knew it was risky... But I had to tell her my feelings. So, I did what my heart told me to do and confessed to her—rather awkwardly. And what did I get in return? She thought I was joking... She laughed at me and I was heartbroken." Mr. Smith spoke shakily. 

"I didn't know how to tell her I was serious... My confidence was crushed and eventually, one day... I decided to tell her again and she realized I wasn't joking. She told me she was in love with some other guy and she started avoiding me and we grew apart..." He continued. "And as I grew in status... I tried to forget her by meeting woman after woman... But having short relationships with women hasn't made me forget her." He sighed deeply. 

Mr. Smith leaned back in his office chair, wiping the tears from his face. "I apologize... It's just- ever since then, I haven't really felt that love is real and out there for me... So, if you're wondering why I'm like I am, that's why. Yes, I have made shitty decisions. Yes, I do sketchy things that not everyone agrees with. But, I am me and this is what I enjoy. I am not going to change myself for others. My parents didnt even support me fully with my confident ego and flirty ways, but I have come a long way. So, I am not ashamed." He spoke flatly. 

"So... You know how you act?" You asked and he sighed. "Deep down, I suppose so." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Wait, you said Lehana loves another man... Are... are they together?" You asked him curiously. "I don't think so, and I surely hope not. It's her hair stylist and I swear on my life I have seen him levitate before. There is just something eerie about that man... I don't trust him one bit." He responded. "You've seen him... What?" You asked, cocking your head to the side, furrowing your eyebrows. "You know levitation, like he's just floating in the air. And I swear I once saw through him. And he's pretty pale." He continued on.  

"You may be confused and be 'seeing' weird things about him because you're merely jealous, Mr. Smith." You responded, tapping your fingers on his desk. He rolled his gray eyes in return and shook his head. "I am not crazy, (Y\N). I know what I saw." He responded and you lifted an eyebrow. "Is he a monster?" You asked, pausing for a quick moment. "Because there are monsters that can do things like that." You added and he shook his head. "No... He looks much too much like a human. There is no way." Mr. Smith replied, scratching his cheek. 

"Welp, alright. I believe you. Anyway, I hope things get better soon for you and your son. He seems like a nice young boy- just... Make sure he respects others, alright?" You pleaded and he nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll do that. At least, the best I can." He murmured, sighing once again. 

"Erm, perhaps we should finish up the questioning and statements now, Mr. Smith." You spoke, trying to change the subject. He nodded in response and smiled weakly "I suppose you're right, Misses (Y\N). Let's catch that no good dipshit!" He exclaimed with a confident tone and you smiled, knowing that sometime soon that creep will be behind bars. 

Perhaps 'shit-stick' Smith isn't as bad as you thought. Well, he's still not a very good man, but in the end, he is trying his best to help you get a real sicko behind bars. And Mr. Smith may be a player, but from what you can tell, he's nothing like that no good Austin. And sure, he may even be a tad bit misunderstood. After all, he seems like he would do anything for those closest to him. Especially for his son whom he dearly adores just like every father should. 

Maybe sometime you can meet this 'Lehana' and her 'levitating' hair stylist. But, only time will tell. For now, it's time to relax and tell Mr. Smith everything you remember about Austin. That way, it'll be more likely that they'll catch him soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am alive. Just a lot of stuff happened. My dog sadly passed away April 18th. It's been extremely hard on my entire family, and especially hard on our other doggo. And if you were wondering, my pupper had cancer. I really miss him, but he'll forever remain in my heart. I gave myself a nice lil' hiatus while I recovered and well, I'm still kinda on it. I updated TWAU a few weeks back, but I waited to update this so I wouldn't get too stressed out. And well, here is the new chap and I'm pretty nervous! I really hope you guys like it because I'm really anxious that people will hate it and, ugh. Let me know if you like it! I worked pretty hard on his chapter (even if it doesn't seem like it). 
> 
> Now, I wanted to ask which you guys would rather have in the next chapter. 
> 
> A. Skip to when (Y\N)'s statements are done being taken and follow Papyrus' POV while Smith takes his account of the stuff.
> 
> or......
> 
> B. Just skip to when all the statements are done and go from there. 
> 
> Lemme know which you prefer! 
> 
>  
> 
> One last thing before I call it a night, go check out TheNewQueenOfGames'(Deviantart and Quotev) work! She writes some pretty cool stuff and I'm sure you will all love it! 
> 
> Thanks to my bestie, Lulu for being the co-founder or Mr. Smith and I thank her for helping out with this chapter! I hope you all have a great day\night! <3
> 
> -Indiana


	35. "For the Greater Good"

[Papyrus' POV] 

 

The seconds turned to minutes and minutes turned to an hour as I sat on the uncomfortable worn out chair outside of 'shit-stick' Smith's office. I had chewed at least fifteen toothpicks to ease my nerves and it's not helping that I can't even understand what they're saying inside of that office. For all I know, some real 'close up interrogations' could be goin' on and it's making me anxious as hell. 

But after playing many different games on my phone ranging from knockoff Flappybird sequels to Tetris, the door to Mr. Smith's office opens and I quickly turn around to be greeted by (Y\N) with a nervous smile on her lips. A few red streaks of where tears had rolled down her face are still visible and it sends a pang of sympathy pulsing through my soul. 

"Alright, Papy. It's your turn now. I'm sure it won't take long." She gave me a nervous smile and I stood up, quickly tucking my phone in my pocket. "alright, how was he today? shit-sticky?" I asked and she snorted, suppressing a laugh. "No, no. He was nice today. Don't worry at all, he wants to catch 'him' as much as we do." She responded in a surprisingly cheery voice. "welp, a'ight. wish me luck, kiddo." I spoke as I dipped my head to her. She nodded in acknowledgment before pulling me into a swift hug, causing a blush to appear on my cheekbones. I hug her back, holding her head against my chest for a second before stepping back. "I'll wish you lots of luck. Cya in a bit!" She responded and with a final wave, I stepped into that dreadful man's office, shutting the door behind me. 

"Good evening Mr..." Mr. Smith began and I walked forward, sitting in the chair in front of his desk. "papyrus." I replied, leaning back in my chair. "Just, Papyrus?" He asked and I manspread, exerting my dominance. "mmmm, yep." I respond, yawning and he furrows his eyebrows. "Alright then, Mr. Papyrus. Please describe to me what this 'Austin' character looked like." He asked me and I tapped a finger on my jawbone. "around six feet tall, like, an olive skin tone... green eyes and blonde hair." I respond, looking at my phalanges, cracking them for a few seconds before looking back up at the suited detective. He is quickly writing down the information on his laptop and I stare at him, observing his features. This is the first time I have seem him this close and I begin to wonder why I am trying to keep (y\n) from liking this guy. He's at least ten years older than her and has a kid. Why am I worried about him stealing her away? Would he even do such a thing? I eye Mr. Smith up and down and roll my pinpricks. Yeah, the 'shit-stick' definitely would. 

"Alright, Mr. Papyrus, when did Miss (L\N) first tell you about Austin?" He suddenly asked, drawing my attention back to his gray gaze. "ya know, ya don't have to call me a 'mister'. just call me papyrus or somethin'. formalities aren't needed." I murmured coldly. "Alright, then, Papyrus. I apologize. Now, please, answer the question. The more time we waste, the harder it'll be to find Austin." He replied and I am somewhat impressed by his lack of reaction to my remark. "a'ight, she didn't. well, she did after i came across him tryin' to kidnap her." I responded. "She didn't tell you?" He asked in surprise, lifting an eyebrow. "nope. but apparently she felt it was important to tell you." I mumbled in response. "i don't know why she even told ya. you didn't do much to stop 'em, did ya?" I remark in annoyance. 

Mr. Smith blinked and moved his hand from his computer's mouse, leaning back in his chair. He folded his hands and looked me dead in the eyes. "Papyrus, there is no reason to treat me with such contempt. I am not trying to steal your girlfriend away from you." He spoke flatly and I grew silent. "I cannot help that she told me about this 'Austin' character first. And Papyrus, I could only do so much to protect her. After all, I have two jobs and I ended up being shot by a convict in a bar the night before the incident. I may have had a bulletproof vest on, but regardless, I had very painful bruising so I was working from home and comforting my son." He explained and I stayed silent as I pondered on what to reply. 

"i'm very sorry for actin' like an ass... i'm just kinda protective over 'er since everything has happened..." I sigh and rub the back of my cervical vertebrae. "and she's not my girlfriend." I added, the words nearly catching in my throat with a pang of dejection. Mr. Smith lets out a low hum, sitting back up. He takes a hold of a black fountain pen on his desk and taps the end on his desk. "Well, that makes sense." He simply remarked and I lift a 'bone'brow. "excuse me, the hell does that mean?" I ask in response and he looks at me straight again. "You've been friendzoned, haven't you, Papyrus?" He suddenly asked and I let out a deep sigh. "More or less." I murmured quietly and he dips his head. "I see..." He responded, his voice trailing off. 

I tap my phalanges on my femur and as I'm about to reply, he starts speaking first. "Listen, I know that it hurts and that you're scared of rejection... But you have to try and ask her out. You have to try. It's better her saying no then you living your life unhappily as you just tag around with her under a 'friend' status... I have been in a similar... Situation and I am glad I at least told her my feelings." Mr. Smith spoke with a sigh. "but it didn't work for you, did it?" I ask in response and he stays still before lowering his head in shame. "No, it didn't work out... But it would have killed me to see her date another guy without me confessing my feelings to her. Papyrus, she is a very pretty lady and we both don't know exactly what's going through her mind. But, it'd be the wiser choice to just try. Tell her that you like her, hell, kiss her or something, just don't let the days pass by without telling her that you love her. After all, one day it could be too late." He replied with a sigh. 

"well, i guess you have a point. but what if it ruins our friendship?" I asked in response and he looked down at his feet, staying silent for quite a few moments. "What if she doesn't, Papyrus? She obviously cares for you a lot with the way she talked about you with me. And even if you did confess and she didn't share the same feelings, who says she'd leave you? Not all friendships end because of a crush." Mr. Smith replied, his gray eyes calm. "i guess you're right... shit, wait, since when were you my therapist?" I ask, completely baffled as to how our conversation got so off topic. "Apparently..." He starts, but pauses looking down at his watch, "Around seven minutes ago." He finishes and I shake my skull. "why would you help me? i thought you didn't like believe in love, or somethin' like that?" I question him and he sighs. "I don't believe love's for me... But I do know it exists..." He murmurs, his grip tightening on his pen for a moment. "Hey, Papyrus... Don't tell anyone we had this conversation, alright?" He suddenly asks and I cock my skull to the side.

"...why?" I asked in a confused tone. Does he really not want people to know he's nice or something? 

"Simply because... Well, this is not exactly what I am supposed to be talking to you about. I do not think my boss would be very pleased with such a extraneous conversation happening between us whilst I was supposed to be interviewing you." He responded, scooting his chair closer to his desk, pressing a key on his laptop to make it come out of sleep mode. His explanation seems truthful, but I definitely sense there's something more to it that he isn't saying. Like perhaps, he doesn't want people to know he isn't the apathetic ass they always think he is. Or, perhaps I'm just looking too far into things. 

"alright, i can promise that." I dip my head, reluctantly agreeing since I really don't like making promises after what happened a long time ago with Chara and Frisk. 

"Thank you very much, Papyrus. Now, shall we continue, sir?" He asks me as he puts down his pen, hovering his hands over his laptop's keyboard. "mmhm, yeah. let's take that creep down." I responded as I leaned back in the chair, becoming a lot more relaxed. "Great, I am glad to have your assistance, Papyrus." He gives me a gentle grin before going back to typing again. "How old are you, Papyrus?" He asked, turning to me. "i'm 25." I replied and he nodded, writing down information. "How tall are you, Papyrus?" He questioned, not looking up from his computer screen. "mmmm, probs around like 6'5" or somethin'." I reply and he nods, writing it down. "Thank you." He replied. 

"Anyway, now, when you saw Austin, what did you do?" Mr. Smith asked me. "i watched for a split second before comin' up behind her, tellin' him to get his hands off of her." I replied and he typed in the information as per usual. 

"Did you ever physically hurt, him, Papyrus?" He suddenly asked, and my shoulders drooped for a moment. "i do think i threw him against a tree with my magic and thew a bone attack at him while he was runnin' for dear life." I responded. Mr. Smith let out a hum, tapping his fingers on the edge of his laptop. "Alright. Thank you, Papyrus. Now, it is time for you to recount what you saw on that day. Start from when you first arrived and go until Austin fled." He instructed and I nodded, my nerves getting the best of me as I pull a toothpick from my pocket, setting it in my mouth. "kay, smith." I sigh before beginning the long and painful story. 

 

\---------------------------------------------

After around 20 more minutes of conversation, I was finally allowed to go so I give my phone number to Mr. Smith just in case any more news springs up about this case before saying my quick goodbyes. I am so ready to get out of this damn place. So with ease, I open his door quickly and walk out out of there faster than I've walked in months. I lean against his closed door and let out a breathy sigh. "damn, that was rough, kid." I murmured to (y\n). I hear her giggle in response and I turn to her. She was drawing on her phone it seems, the sketch of a small puppy on her screen is quite adorable. But before I can see it much longer, she puts her phone on sleep mode and stands up, tucking it in her pocket. 

"How'd it go, Pap?" She asked and I tap a phalanx on my chin. "it was tolerable i guess." I replied after a few seconds and she smiles gently. "Well, my greatest apologies that you had to have your statements taken as well... I wasn't meaning for you to be dragged into this shitty mess so much, so I'm very sorry, Papy." She sighs, her smile disappearing and turning into a slight frown. 

Remembering what Mr. Smith told me leaves a tight feeling in my soul. I have such a need to tell her my feelings, but I do not want to make things harder for her. If she doesn't happen to share my feelings, that'll only make things worse with how crazy life has been for her recently. So, I decide to hold back my feelings for the greater good. At least, for now. 

"oh, honey, it's fine. i'd rather be involved with this than leave ya to deal with it alone. you don't need ta apologize, kay, kiddo?" I responded, standing up straight again. 

"But Papyrus... This should be my burden... Not yours. I brought all this upon myself, you've already done so much for me. This isn't what you deserve... You deserve so much more." She murmurs. "really? do ya think you deserve to go through it or somethin'? because hell no, no you don't. buds like us gotta stick by each other through thick and thin, ya know?" I respond and she looks away from me, grabbing her arm. "c'mon, (y\n)... don't be like this. what happened isn't your fault." I commented and she looks to me. "You really aren't upset with me for pulling you into this?" She asks and I frown seeing how broken she looks. "of course, i would never get upset at that. i'm happy that i can be here for you." I respond and she stays silent for at least a minute before running the few steps to me, hugging me close and I can feel my cheekbones grow warm. I hug her back and as per usual, she lays her head on my chest which causes me to smile. "Thank you, Papy... I am so glad that I met you." She speaks into my hoodie. "likewise, (y\n). you've made my life so much better..." I whisper and I feel her cling on tighter. 

After a few minutes of hugging in the middle of the hall, she pulls away. "Thanks," She began, wiping slight tears from the corners of her eyes. "I really needed that hug." She finished with a weak smile. "no need ta thank me... say, when's maia heading back to ya today? if it's not within an hour or so, would ya like to go out and get some ice cream or somethin'?" I suggested and her eyes brightened a bit. "Heck yeah! I-I mean, Maia let me know while you were talking to Mr. Smith that she'll be back around 7:00 rather than 5:00. So, considering it's just 5:30, we totally have time to do that." She replied in an excited manner, her eyes practically twinkling. "m'kay, then let's go. it'll be fun." I respond, grinning as I begin to walk back to the front. 

She quickly follows, trying to match my long strides, so I soon find myself slowing down a bit so we can be side by side. She is smiling brightly, which is a great improvement compared to what happened just mere minutes ago. 

We walk down the halls into the waiting room, looking back at Ms. Constable at the receptionist's desk. She hasn't changed much in the time we've been with Mr. Smith. She's really only put on more lipstick. In fact, it's really not her color. But, moving on from her appearance, I see her stare at us intently, lifting her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose. I lift a 'bone'brow in response and she rolls her eyes, turning to a police officer that's leaning over the desk, talking to her coworker. 

But, (Y\N) doesn't go and speak with her and she just reaches over, taking my bony hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. And well, after that, we walk out of the doors and begin walking down the stairs. She pulls her hand away and looks up at me. "Why don't we walk? Your 'shortcuts' are great and everything, but I think a nice walk would be great right now to ease our nerves." She suggested and I think for a moment. "m'kay, which direction are we goin'?" I ask and she smiles brightly. "Yay! Er- how about Lincoln Avenue? There are so many pretty Japanese Maples down that road and this time of the year is perfect for walking that way. Oh! And Dubuc's ice cream shoppe is at the end of that road so I think it's perfect!" She remarked, looking up at me enthusiastically. "alright, that sounds perfect." I smile, looking down at her animated countenance.

She claps her hands and she takes my hand. "Well, let's go, skele-boy!" She giggles as she begins to pull me along with her as she runs. I can't help but chuckle as well as I try my best to keep up. "chill, kid. calm down. i thought ya wanted to walk, not run." I snicker and she laughs, her face turning a slight pink as she slides to a stop. "Right, right. Sorry, Pap!" She replied, a sense of humor in her tone. "heh, it's good, kid." I replied, smiling brightly. 

"Anyway, shall we?" She asks, holding out her arm for me. I grin, curtsying. "''course, letsa gooo!" I snicker as I take her arm and we both begin walking to Lincoln Avenue, chatting casually along the way. It's funny how this girl can make me feel so happy and alive. Not that nobody else can, but it's just so much different with her. Maybe I'm just being foolish, but I think it's true when I say I'm falling more and more in love with her every day. (Y\N) is a really special gal and I hope to someday show her that. But for now, it seems I'll be watering that passion down. After all, I do not want to scare her off with any confessions in this hard time for her. I look forward to the future when I will finally gather my courage and tell her how I feel, but for now I will have to deal with the friend zone, no matter how much it sometime pains me. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: Forgot to mention this, but this a story is over a year old now, so yay! 
> 
> Oof, it's been a while. How's it hanging, guys?  Yes! I managed to finish this chapter! Huzzah! Anyway, I made a couple inside jokes in here, so if you were confused by the manspreading thing, that was a joke XD 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I feel like its a bit rough, but I should probably chill. Not every chapter is gonna be perfect, but I know that you guys don't mind that fact. Thank you all so much for sticking with this story! I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart! <3 Oh! And thank you all for you thoughts and prayers for my family in our difficult time. We are doing much better now! Have a wonderful day\night!
> 
> P.S. If nobody gets the Mystery Skulls joke, imma be disappointed XD


	36. "Dubuc's Ice Cream Shoppe"

You and Papyrus laughed and happily walked side by side down the sidewalks of Lincoln Avenue. The Japanese maples glowed in the autumn sun, the vibrant orange and yellow hues are simply breathtaking and you can't help but smile as you walk down the path, observing every tree. 

It wasn't too long before you and Papyrus finally made it to Dubuc's Ice Cream Shoppe. Its colorful purple, pink, orange and blue exterior isn't hard to miss. Papyrus hurried and fast-walked to the door of the store, opening it for you politely with a smile. "ladies first~" He cooed with a wink. "What a gentleman~" You cooed back with a grin as you quickly caught up, walking through the door. "Thank you, good sir!" You thanked him as soon as he walked in after you. "mmhm, madam." He snickered in response. 

"Aha! I knew you'd be back some time, Russ!" Chuckled a deep, croaky voice. You turned your head to the counter of the shop and standing behind it was an older man, probably around 70. The man has a gray beard and gray hair. Along with that, he has brown eyes, chocolatey skin, and a wonderful smile. 

"james! how are ya doin', pal?" Papyrus asked as he happily walked to the counter since nobody else was in line at the moment. Though, a few people sat at tables and conversed nearby. You followed him, smiling as you stood by his side. 

"I've been good, ole pal! Though, I am sad to say I gotta quit soon. Doctor's orders." James sighed, tugging on the multicolored apron he was wearing. "doctor's orders?" Papyrus echoed, cocking his skull to the side in confusion. "Mmmhm, I have a heart condition. Doctor says it's too straining for me to work " he replied, sadness in his tone. "well, you don't need to work, james. didn't ya say ya just work for the hell of it?" Papyrus asked and James thought for a moment. "I know, but I work because I love seein' all the faces of Ebott and beyond... I've worked here since it opened 5 years ago. Luis hired me right off the bat, Russ. I love bein' here." James responded, a tinge of sadness in his tone. "ah, i'm really sorry, james... that really sucks... but hey, ya can still come 'ere! don't fret, bud. you can always visit from the tables rather than from behind the counter." Papyrus replied, obviously trying to cheer the older man up a bit. 

"Yea, you're right... I can always make my mark and meet all the people another way." His frown lessened and he sighed, clearly still pretty upset. "But I mean, this town is getting more and more popular since you all showed up and so is this shop... It's gonna be sad not being able to meet all those wonderful people." James commented, scratching the back of his neck. "I was delighted when you and your little brother started coming, Russ, same with all your friends! It was getting to be rather boring seeing the same faces day after day... Until, boom! Monsters all over Ebott City!" He exclaimed and Papyrus let out a deep chuckle and you giggled. "yup, sounds about right. we all love ya, james. you're a cool ole chap." He replied and James smiled. 

"Thanks Russ. Now... Hello, this must be (Y\N)!" James suddenly spoke which made you blink in confusion. "You know me?" You asked in confusion and he nodded, smiling. "Of course! Papyrus has mentioned you, miss. On top of that, Luis has mentioned how you are a model customer as well." James replied kindly, his eyes bright. "Oh, well it's very nice to meet you, Mr. James!" You responded politely, smiling. "Likewise, misses! It is a pleasure to meet you at last! Now, what would you two like on this fine autumn day?" He asked, leaning against the counter. 

You looked down at the various metal containers of ice cream flavors, they all look so delicious. "may i have my special, james?" Papyrus asked, a chuckle present in his voice. "Of course. It is your favorite after all, Russ." James responded with a husky snicker. 

You looked over every flavor, reading all the plaques until your eyes fell upon (f\f). Instantly after you saw it, you looked up to him. "May I have a waffle cone with two scoops of (f\f) ice cream? Oh! And may I please have rainbow sprinkles on top of it?" You asked and James smiled. "Mmhm! That'll be $5.55, will that be cash, debit or credit?" He asked and you fumbled for your wallet. But before you could fully pull it out, Papyrus gently placed his bony hand on your shoulder. "i got it, kid. it'll be debit, please." Papyrus responded as he pulled out his wallet, inserting his card into the chip reader. "Oh, thanks Papyrus- I could have paid though." You replied and he turned to you, giving a gentle smile. "i owe ya, remember? ya bought me a bottle of honey." He replied so you couldn't argue, so you complied and let him pay, deciding not to mention you owe him like $20 due to your bets.

Once he was done paying, he put his card back into his wallet, tucking his wallet back in his pocket. In response to that, James fixed your ice cream cone, handing it over to you and then he disappeared into the back leaving Papyrus to grin as he leaned his hip against the counter. "What're you up to, Pap?" You asked him in a suspicious tone. He snickered in response. "nothin' kid. he's just gettin' my norm." Papyrus replied, still smirking. You lifted an eyebrow and let out a small laugh, shaking your head before taking a single lick of your ice cream cone impatiently. 

Within a few moments, James came back with a silver container full of a light tan ice cream. He quickly scooped some up into a waffle cone, before putting 3 more scoops on top of it. Thinking that was it, you turned to Papyrus but he gestured with his phalanges to look back, so you did and your mouth gaped open in surprise. James had taken out a bottle of honey and was drizzling it on the ice cream. After that, he added some nuts and a cherry onto it before handing it over to Papyrus. "There you go, double honey, just like you like it, Russ." James spoke with a wink and he snickered. "thanks man, ya know me too well, bud." He replied and waved. "i'll see ya 'round james. ciao!" Papyrus spoke and you waved to him too. "It was wonderful meeting you, sir!" You replied and James nodded politely. "Thank you two, I hope you have a nice day and I hope to see you around as well... I am very glad I could meet you, (Y\N)." James gave a weak smile and waved goodbye which broke your heart, but you knew staying and talking more wasn't going to help him with his pensive sadness, so with one last goodbye, you and Papyrus walked outside of the shop, sitting on a purple bench that had skulls carved into the backs. 

You began to fully eat your ice cream now that you both had a cone and you smiled at the familiar- yet improved taste of (f\f). "Mmmmm-" you murmured and he let out a deep chuckle, before lickin- 

You froze, eyes widening in surprise as you watched him lick his ice cream with an orange tongue... A tongue?! How have you not noticed that he has a blatantly orange tongue in his mouth before?! 

"You... You have a tongue?" You asked in surprise and he simply nodded, looking to you. "mmmhm-" He murmured in response. He licked his three scoops of ice cream from bottom to top, not breaking eye contact which caused you to turn faintly pink, choking slightly on your own saliva. 

Papyrus instantly burst out laughing seeing your reaction before quickly saying. "sorry, sorry. just messin' with ya, honey. yeah, i do have a tongue... though it's not permanently affixed to my mouth. i can summon it." through his laughter. 

You giggled in embarrassment, looking away bashfully. "It's fine, your joke wasn't tasteless." You joked coyly. He snickered, going back to his ice cream. "good one, i like a nice palatable joke." He responded with a wink. "Oh, same! Especially jokes that don't leave a bitter taste in your mouth." You replied, your (e\c) eyes bright as you looked back at him. "heh, yeah. those are the worst, bud." He chuckled, grinning widely. 

"Welp, I'm out of puns." You laughed before turning your attention back to your ice cream before it melted. "heh, same. there are only so many tasteful jokes one can make " Papyrus remarked and you giggled.  "Oh my God, Papyrus. Do you run on puns or something?" You asked him in a humored tone and he nodded his skull, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "yup, jokes are my gasoline." He replied and you rolled your eyes, letting out a small laugh. 

After your small joke fest, everything got quiet for a while. After all, the ice cream was going to melt if all you two did was talk. But soon, the silence was broken with the ringing of your phone. You looked over at Papyrus, lifting an eyebrow. "I wonder who that'll be." You remarked before you slid your phone out of your pocket. When you got your phone out, the caller ID made your eyebrow lift even higher. "It's Mr. Smith?" You murmured, confusion in your voice.  "odd, maybe ya accidentally left somethin' in his office?" Papyrus suggested and you hummed in thought. "Maybe so... But I don't think that I did." You replied before promptly answering the phone, putting it on speaker right off the bat. 

"Hello, Mr. Smith. You're on speaker." You answered. "Hello, Miss (Y\N). Is Papyrus still with you?" Mr. Smith asked. "Uh, yeah. He's right next to me listening to the phone call." You replied. "yo." Papyrus greeted Mr. Smith. "Good, hello Papyrus. I have information regarding Austin- we have identified him and we were able to track him to Ebott City hospital. His name is Austin Ricardo and he checked in the hospital for an injury sustained the day you were attacked, (Y\N)." Mr. Smith responded and your eyes widened. 

"Were you able to catch him?" You asked, sitting up, gripping onto the metal armrest of the bench. "please tell me ya did..." Papyrus spoke, seemingly holding his breath in anticipation. 

"That's the thing, no. We were unable to locate him in time. He had been released from the hospital mere hours before we noticed the name and description in the hospital's records." He replied and Papyrus let out a grunt. "dammit!" He groaned and you frowned. 

"Well, where are the police looking now?" You asked, your heart beating fast. "They are on the way to Austin's suspected residence. But if they cannot find him there, I can guarantee that the search will only expand more. We cannot let this dangerous man roam the streets for much longer." Mr. Smith responded and you sighed. "Thank you, Mr. Smith." You thanked him reluctantly. "There is no need to thank me, Miss (Y\N). Now, if you see Austin Ricardo anywhere around town, call the police immediately." He insisted. "Of course, thanks again Mr. Smith. Have a nice day."  You spoke quietly. "Once again there's no need to thank me. Thank you, miss, and I wish the same to you and Papyrus. Goodbye." He replied and bid his adieu, causing you to do the same before quickly hanging up. 

You groaned, your hand quickly covering your face in a moment of stress. "Dammit, Papyrus... They missed him. They missed that bastard by just a few hours! What if he hurts someone else because they didn't find him in time?! I'll never be able to forgive myself if that happens." You emotionally murmured, uncovering your face, gesturing with your hand to express your emotional strain. 

"(y\n)... calm down." Papyrus murmured with a deep sigh, reaching over and taking your free hand in his. "relax, the cops are doin' the best they can. plus, that douche is smart enough to run rather than continually commit crimes. it's not your fault, and it never will be. okay?" He spoke to you softly and reassuringly. His gaze was soft despite the obvious feeling of disappointment coming off of him. 

"But... But if I had reported him earlier, then it wouldn't be as hard to find him! I-" you started, but he cut you off, squeezing your hand reassuringly. "everything will be okay. stop stressin' over this... it's just makin' ya feel worse and worse when ya just need to relax. look, ya got ice cream in that half-eaten ice cream cone still. don't ya dare make me eat it, 'cause I will." He playfully threatened to try and make you laugh, and he succeeded. You giggled slightly against your will. "But Papyrus-" You whined and Papyrus gasped. "did you just call me butt papyrus?" He asked as he placed a hand on his chest, acting hurt. 

"Papyrus, that's such a dad joke." You snorted and he grinned. "who says i'm not a dad?" He asked, snickering and you hummed in thought for a moment. "I mean, I technically can't know, I suppose." You replied and he deeply chuckled. "exactly, for all ya know I could have a bunch of little pap spawns runnin' around my house." He chuckled. 

"Honestly, that'd be so damn pure." You laughed, before going back to your ice cream cone. Papyrus grinned from... 'ear hole to ear hole' before whispering "success~" which caused you to smile as well. 

And with that, all the anxiety had been washed from your mind by the punny skeleton's jokes. That of course helped you to relax and you both returned to peaceful, joyful conversations whilst you both finished your ice cream cones. And the best part isn't the ice cream, nor the pretty scenery that surrounds Dubuc's Ice Cream Shoppe, it's that you get to be with Papyrus one on one. That is refreshing and it makes you happy to have him all to yourself... Well, at least for now. You know you'll both go your separate ways soon, but you choose not to dwell on that. You decide to stay in the moment and enjoy Papyrus' presence while it lasts. After all, you have no idea how long it'll be until you get another one on one hangout. But, you really hope that you both be able to hang out like this again soon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! This story uh... Somehow got to 1,000+ hearts on Quotev since my last update and I'm just- how and when did this happen? XD Anyway, I wanna thank you all for that... I really appreciate all the support I get, it is honestly crazy to me because I never expected to make it this far. To be honest, I never expected to make it to any big milestones... But yet it happened. Thank you all! I love you so much! <3
> 
> Now, I'm gonna reveal the Mystery Skulls joke from the last chapter if you didn't get it because I'm pretty sure only one person commented XD (kudos to you, LifeOfMe!) so, that reference is... "Dubuc" from "Dubuc's Ice Cream Shoppe" Mystery Skulls is a one man musical group and the member's name is Luis Dubuc! So, there was my sneaky fangirlish reference. 
> 
> I'm gonna reveal my few Mystery Skulls jokes in this chapter down here if you wanted to know lol
> 
> 1\. The outside of the shop are the colors of the Mystery Skulls EP cover 
> 
> 2\. The shop owner's name is Luis (Dubuc)
> 
> 3\. The price of the ice cream is named off Mystery Skulls' song, "555"
> 
> 4\. The purple benches are a joke about the cover of the EP too.
> 
> 5\. The skulls cut in the benches are a reference to Lewis, a character made by MysteryBen27 that's in animated music videos made for Mystery Skulls. Oh, and a reference to the name as well. 
> 
> And I think that's all the references I shoved in lol. 
> 
> Andddd, I suppose I should run now and post this, haha. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful day\night!
> 
> -Indiana


	37. "A Cat and Mouse Experience"

"and then I said, 'cover me!' as they started throwing all my corn dogs at me." Papyrus joked as you and him walked down the road leading to your house. "Oh my God," you snorted. "Did they cover you?" You asked and he snickered, shaking his head. "nah, they were too engaged in watching corn dogs being pelted at me." He chuckled. 

You laughed and shook your head, "I can't believe you used to sell corn dogs in the underground... It just seems so random. Why didn't you just sell hot dogs?" You asked with a small chuckle as you looked to the tall skeleton. "mmm, i'm not sure. it just seemed a bit 'classic' to me." Papyrus replied with a casual shrug, chuckling a bit. 

"Well, I'd just say it's sorta corny." You snickered and he grinned, gently nudging you with his elbow. But all the laughing and jokes were cut off when your phone began to ring again. You looked around in confusion, "Who could that be?" you wondered out loud as you pulled your phone from your pocket. You glanced at the caller ID and your face became blank as you quickly denied the call, shoving it back into your pocket, picking up pace.

"(y\n), who was that?" Papyrus asked as he quickly lengthened his strides to catch up. "It's not important," You grumbled. "was it 'him'?" He suddenly asked and you shook your head. "then who was it?" He asked again and you groaned. "Papyrus, listen to me." You stopped and turned to him. "It's not important, okay? Don't worry about me." You replied flatly and as you turned to walk away, he surprised you by grabbing your arm securely. "tell me." He spoke, his voice seemingly empty of the normal warmth you'd grown accustomed to which left you speechless. 

It took you a while to find your words because you were so taken aback by his actions. "U-uh... It was j-just one one of my older friends... I c-called and cried to you over them... You r-remember that, yeah?" You spoke in a shaky tone and he quickly let go once he heard your nervousness. "i'm sorry, i don't know what got into me there." Papyrus quickly apologized. "Papyrus, it's fine. I-I know you're just a little worried about me." You replied, giving a weak smile before taking his bony hand in yours, giving it a gentle squeeze. "yeah... but that doesn't excuse it." He sighed, looking down but you let go of his hand and pulled him into a big hug instead. "Shut up, Papy. I don't care." You replied before soon pulling away. 

A light tangerine blush dusted his cheekbones and he smiled weakly. "alright, alright." He spoke with a slight smile. "Now," You started, smiling as you took his hand again, leading him forward. "once I get back to my apartment, wanna hang out with Maia and me?" You asked and he sighed, shaking his head. "wish i could, kiddo. but i'm in charge of dinner tonight." He spoke, his smile only growing more, turning into a mischievous grin. 

"Oh no, what are you gonna do?" You asked, chuckling slightly at his goofy countenance. "i'm gettin' kfc, ofc." He snickered to himself. "KFC? That seems pretty mild." You laughed slightly. "maybe from a quick glance, but when ya think about it- sans dislikes kfc and really doesn't like eating from there." He responded. "Why does he not like it?" You questioned and he chuckled, shaking his skull. "it's one of the greasiest fast food joints up 'ere and sans loves me eatin' healthy. so this place kinda irks 'em. his reactions never fail." He explained, winking and you laughed a bit. "Ah, brothers will be brothers. If he doesn't like it, I'm sure he has tons of spare tacos to eat anyway." You joked and he laughed, nodding. "exactly."

And not even two minutes after that, you and Papyrus had finally made it to your apartment only to see the brown and black striped cat that was at Papyrus' house a while ago washing itself by a trash can on the curb. "Is that Stripes?" You asked and Papyrus looked around until he spotted it. "huh, that is 'er. c'mere bucko!" Papyrus called to the cat before clicking his tongue slightly, kneeling on the ground and holding out his hand. 

The cat looked around for a second, pausing mid-lick before standing up and bounding over to you and Papyrus, letting out a light meow. He smiled, gently scooping her up in his bony arms, causing her to purr happily. "she's walked quite a ways. much more than i'd ever walk." He joked and you laughed. "I'd say I relate but I've already walked that stretch." You replied with a slight chuckle, looking down at the green-eyed kitty. 

"You sure you two don't want to take her in? What if she gets hurt?" You asked. "i dunno... i've wondered that too, ya know? but i dunno. there's just a feelin' in my bones that is sayin' she's not mine ta keep." Papyrus replied with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "Weird... But eh, if she's made it this far she must know what she's doing." You replied with a gentle smile and Papyrus snickered a bit. "hell, she probs knows more about life than we do. maybe she's our guardian angel and that's why she's in front of your apartment building." He joked and you looked at the cat that just looked back at you with an innocent gaze. "Or what if she's worse? A bringer of darkness to drag chaos into our lives~ little do we know, she is the one who made Austin show up in my life." You joked back and he snickered. 

"noo, nottt stripes-!" Papyrus whined playfully and Stripes just let out a loud mewl and jumped from his arms, rubbing against your legs, purring. "Is that an apology, oh bringer of darkness?" You let out a small giggle as you bent down and stroked her, causing her to purr more. 

But, as a big 18-wheeler zoomed past on the small street, Stripes nervously darted away under a bush to hide. "i guess that's my cue." Papyrus spoke with hesitance causing you to quickly glance at him. "Oh, Papy. It's so hard to say goodbye!" You replied, your gaze sad which caused a frown to appear on the tall skeleton's face. "i know," Papyrus sighed, holding out his arms. "c'mere, kid. your ole friend needs his goodbye hug." He spoke and you bit your lip, thinking for a moment before reaching up, grabbing the neckline of his hoodie, pulling him down to your level. You observed his features for a moment as his cheekbones turned more and more orange. But, in a quick moment that you both wish could've lasted longer, you kissed his cheekbone softly. 

After pulling away, his entire skull was orange and he toyed with the strings of his hoodie as you pulled him into a big bear hug. "Thanks for the wonderful afternoon. Everything was so much better with you there! I thank you for being such a gentleman as well, Paps." You whispered as you wrapped your arms around him. Papyrus seemed to cherish every moment of the sweet embrace, making sure he squeezed you as tight as he could without hurting you. The hug lasted even longer than your last shared embrace, but both of you didn't mind. Hell, you'd both be completely happy to be like this forever. But, knowing you have a friend anxiously awaiting for your return, Papyrus pulls away with a gentle smile. 

"i'll let ya get back to your friend. have a nice night and i'll see ya soon, (y\n). ciao!" He spoke with a kind nod, causing you to nod in return. "You have a nice night too! Be safe and text me when you get home, mister!" You replied with a slight shake of your index finger. "of course, madam~ as you wish." Papyrus replied with a chuckle. "Good. I'll see you later, Mr. Candy Corn~" You giggled, waving goodbye before turning and walking to your apartment complex door, unlocking it, going inside and shutting the door behind you. And just as usual, by the time you glanced out the window, the butternut squash of a skeleton was nowhere in sight. "This man..." You sighed with a shake of your head before turning around and walking up all the stairs to your apartment. Then, you unlocked your door and walked in only to be greeted by Maia sitting on your couch with her arms folded. 

"Well, little miss, where have you been with your boyfriend~?" She asked with a giggle and you rolled your eyes. "Oh, shut up. We just went to get ice cream after we were both interviewed and that was it. And, he's not my boyfriend, so hush." You responded, putting your keys and such up before walking to your room. 

"Maybe not yet, but he will be soon." Maia replied, snickering slightly. You sighed, pulling your shirt over your head, replacing it with a light gray tee. "He doesn't like me that way, Maia. Please just cut it. We're literally just friends." You replied and you could just feel her shake her head from the other room. "But you like him? Hmmm? Did I just get you to admit your crush?" She replied, quite baffled. 

You let out a sigh, quickly changing into a pair of light blue gym shorts before walking back into the living room, sitting beside her. You run a hand through your (h\l) (h\c) hair, biting your lip again. "I mean... I guess. You already know anyways." You reply and Maia grins smugly. "I knew it! You two are perfect for each other, holy heck, (Y\N)!" She exclaimed and you blushed faintly. "You really think so?" You asked bashfully. "Hell yeah, I think so!" She exclaimed loudly which made you smile, looking down timidly. 

After a few moments, you finally looked back up at your friend, she looked like she was absolutely fangirling at this moment and you decided to mess with her a bit. "So, like you and Sans?" You asked with a mischievous smirk causing her face to slowly flush red. "What?" She spoke in surprise. "Oh, come on. I could totally see through your 'polite' act. You were totally complimenting the blueberry because you found him cute!" You spoke and she played with her blonde locks. "He's cute, yeah... But even a puppy is cute." She rebuffed, but in a very small manner... As if she can't deny the truth~

"Maia, dude. You weren't looking at him in a 'puppy cute' sense and you know it." You chuckled and she pouted slightly, her lips scrunching up. Big, bold Maia was going to retort what you said, but was quickly silenced by your phone ringing. You know she must be extremely grateful that whoever this is cut in. 

"Aw, damn. Who's this now?" You spoke out loud as you looked at your phone's screen. It was them again—to be specific, Audrey. Seeing her name in your phone's screen yet again made you scowl and you soon felt your eyes narrow in anger. "...(Y\N), who the heckle is that?" Maia asked as she felt the growing tenseness coming from you. "It's that no good, back stabbing bi-" You were silenced by Maia snatching the phone from your hand, answering it and putting it on speaker. "Talk to her." She mouthed and you swallowed hard, nodding reluctantly. "What do you want, Audrey?" You spoke, your voice deeper due to your irritation. 

"You disgust me." Were Audrey's first words and they made your breaths hitch. "Excuse me?!" You replied with venom in your voice. "You are a disgusting human being, you no good halfwit!" She yelled. "The hell did I ever do to you?!" You exclaimed in response. "You betrayed me and befriended the enemy!" She hissed. "Pardon me? Last time I checked, this is my life, you asshat!" You growled. 

"I saw you with that thing from the coffee shop. I saw you and him walking side by side, hand in hand, how sickening!" Audrey yelled. "It's not sickening, Audrey. It's a beautiful friendship and you have no say in who (Y\N) hangs out with so shut your incompetent mouth and go back to smooching your girlfriend." Maia suddenly spoke up and Audrey got quiet, her heavy breaths could be heard through the phone.. "Don't bring Grace into this, you twit! I can't believe someone as smart as you could support literal monsters, Maia. Our friendship is over." She exclaimed in response and Maia chuckled, shaking her head back and forth. "It already was, Audrey. I lost hope in you as soon as I found out what you and Grace have been doing since I left. You two are the ones that are sickening." Maia hissed. 

"I can't believe you can just discriminate against a whole race of people like this! You should know not to do that, Audrey! It's common sense!" Maia added and you heard Audrey audibly growl from the other line. "They're monsters, Maia. This isn't Scooby Doo!" She growled and you saw a smirk appear on Maia's face. "Then pull off your mask, Audrey." She spoke bluntly with a tinge of humor in her voice. The line fell silent and you stifled a laugh as Audrey exploded out with profanities and discrepancies. But, there was only so much you could take before you took back your phone again. "Goodbye, Audrey. Let me live my own damn life and don't call me again just to bitch about my life choices. Have a nice life." You spoke blandly before you swiftly smashed the 'end call button', dropping your phone onto the couch as if it was a mic drop. 

"I swear, she has some nerve." You grumbled and Maia nodded. "I know... If she calls again, just ignore it. You don't need her problematic stance in your life." She replied and you tapped a finger on your chin. "You're right..." You sighed, thinking for a minute. "Damn, this really is quite the bone of contention..." You spoke and Maia nodded yet again. "Let's just hope it goes smoothly from now on." She replied. "Yes... Let's hope it does." You agreed solemnly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, hi. It's been a while, hasn't it, frens? It's been six weeks. I know that's a longer wait time than usual, so I apologize... But legit, I have good reasons as to why it took so long. Summer's been busy, writer's block has been the worst that it has been in a while, twenty øne piløt's conundrums, family things, etc. 
> 
> I don't know how many of you were in the loop with the tøp crap, but I'm in a clique groupchat on Instagram and we were absolutely living with all the Dema site updates and rumors. And once they came back, (Tyjo where da heck are you) we freaked out and were able to theorize about the Jumpsuit music video and aaaa. Nico And The Niners and Jumpsuit are so good and I can't wait for the rest of trench hhhhhh. Sadly I can't attend any concerts for now, but that's okay.
> 
> Also find the twenty øne piløts reference in this chapter, it's much easier than the Mystery Skulls references. Haha. 
> 
> Anyway, I am gonna be without internet for a week and I knew I had to finish this chapter but I didnt know if I could, but eyyyy. I got it done! It's a bit of a rusty chapter... But I hope you like it nonetheless! 
> 
> Oh! And I was wondering if you guys would help me out with this project I want to do. If you guys have Instagram or twitter and are interested in participating, I'd appreciate if you post a photo of your pet (doesn't matter what kind) 'reading' this story under the hashtag #BoCpetproject. I thought it'd be a really cute thing to do in honor of my dog that passed in April and I think it'd be a great way to see how this community can get together. I'll try my best to favorite all the ones I can on Instagram, but I don't have a twitter so I'll just look at those. Haha. Anyway, I would very much appreciate if you participate, but don't sweat it. Oh! And if you don't have a pet, feel free to use a stuffed animal or whatever you'd like. Be creative. It's the thought that counts. :)
> 
> Anyways, thank you all so much for reading and for sticking with this story! I love you all and I appreciate every single one of you! Have a wonderful day\night!
> 
> -Indiana


	38. "Questionable Decisions"

After cooling off and discussing your first day at work with Maia, she changed the subject to the hangout you're supposed to be planning for Wednesday. 

"So, have you written your neighbor yet? I think her name was Evony?" Maia asked and you internally swore once you realized you'd forgotten all about that. "Well, I meant to. But I guess I never got around to it?" You spoke in response. "Well, you should probably write her. After all, that's in like 4 days. Maia replied and you nodded. " I know, I know." You sighed. "I'll call her right now." You added as you picked up your phone from the arm of the couch. 

You put in your passcode, unlocking your phone before quickly opening up your contacts and clicking on Evony's name. The phone didn't ring for long, in fact it was mere seconds before she answered the phone. "Hello? (Y\N), You know, you made me wait quite a while for you to call." Evony joked as you quickly put the phone on speaker. You giggled in response. "Hey, I have you on speaker. I'm with my bestie, Maia here." You responded and Maia smiled. "Hello!" She greeted your neighbor. 

"Hello, Maia!" Evony spoke sweetly "Now, what's up?" She quickly added. "We were wondering if you'd like to come over Wednesday and hang out with us and two other friends. We are planning on eating pizza and watching a movie." You explained and you heard her let out a soft 'hmm' before replying with a cheery "Of course!", " I'd absolutely love to come!" She chirped, causing you to smile. "Great! I think we'll gather around 5:30 PM. That sound good to you?" You asked. "Yeah! That's great!" She responded. 

"Okay, cool. We'll see you then I guess?" You questioned. "Yeah! I'll see you all then. Au revoir!" Evony responded. "Nice! See you later, bye!" You responded before she promptly hung up. 

"Cool, sounds like she's coming." Maia remarked before yawning, stretching her arms. "Yeah, it does. Seems like Wednesday will be one hell of a night." You chuckled, smiling. Maia giggled in response, brushing some of her hair behind her ear. "You got work tomorrow?" She suddenly asked and you clicked your tongue. "Huh, guess I do." You responded and Maia grunted, shaking her head back and forth in disapproval. "But it'll be Sundayyy-" She whined. "Yeah, and I need to pay for this place, so I'm afraid I gotta work. I'll be off at like 4:30 and we can do whatever after then. How about that?" You tried to reason and Maia thought long and hard, scrunching her face up in contemplation. "Fine, but only if I'm allowed to pop by for a bit." She agreed, crossing her arms. "Hm, sounds good to me." You replied with a wink, smiling. "Thanks, Maia. You're the best." You replied softly, gently raising a clenched fist which she happily she fist bumped. "Of course, my bro-tato chip~" She spoke with a silly grin. 

"Say, how'd the whole police thing go?" Maia asked after a short pause. "Oh, it was alright." You replied with a shrug of your shoulders. "Turns out Mr. Smith is actually really nice and he's trying his best to help us catch 'him'." You explained and she furrowed her eyebrows. "The tiger?" She asked in surprise and you nodded. "That's right."

"Damn, he's not a perv?" Maia questioned and you snorted. "I wouldn't say that, but—he's nice." You responded, crossing you legs. "Did Papyrus and him get along?" Maia asked with a tilt of you head. "Well, I assume they must've made some kind of pact to get along because there wasn't any hostility when Papyrus walked out of his office to get me." You replied and Maia furrowed her eyebrows. "You two didn't do an interview together?" She spoke in surprise and you shut your eyes, exhaling. "No, we weren't allowed to... I thought it'd be terrible, but Mr. Smith must've been considerate because he was rather kind and patient." You responded with a shrug, opening your (e\c) eyes again. 

"Well, I'm glad everything went pretty smooth." Maia replied with a gentle smile. "Me too. It even turns out the police just missed catching 'him'." You sighed and Maia turned her head quickly to face you directly. "Just missed catching him?! What the hell happened?" She asked in an almost demanding tone. "Turns out Austin was in the hospital for an injury following the attack. If I remember correctly... Papyrus thew him against a tree and later sent a bone attack after him... I'm sure it hit him." You explained, biting your lip again. "Woah! Okay, that may not be good. He could press charges against Papyrus for harming him." Maia pointed out and you shook your head. "But wouldn't that be justified? He was saving me!" You exclaimed and Maia sighed, looking up to avoid your gaze. "Yes. But you know how monsters are being treated. Whose word are they going to trust? A humans, or a monster's?" Maia remarked which made you grumble. "But dammit, that's so biased! They'd better not do anything like that!" You growled. "I know, but maybe it won't happen like this. Maybe people will see through the shit." Maia murmured, tapping her fingers against her leg. 

Not wanting to continue on that specific topic you ran a hand through your (h\l) (h\c) hair before uttering a simple "'He' had checked out of the hospital just a couple hours before the the cops saw that he'd been checked in there." 

Maia shook her head. "I know this is tough, but everything will be okay. He'll be caught and he'll get the consequences he deserves." She commented and you chewed on your lip gently. "I sure hope so..." Was all you could respond. 

 

\---------------------------------------------

After around thirty minutes of contemplation, you and Maia decided to play "Truth Or Dare". So, you popped popcorn and quickly waltzed back to the couch, plopping down next to your friend who had an eager grin on her face. After setting the popcorn in between both of you, she rubbed her hands together. "Are we ready?" She asked excitedly and you nodded, smiling in response. "Of course! You start." You replied and Maia seemingly cackled, causing you to become a bit more worried of what she'd do than you were previously. 

"(Y\N), truth or dare?" She started, folding her hands together. You thought long and hard before replying with a simple "Truth." which you soon regretted. After all, the grin on her face only grew wider. That's not typically a good sign. "If you had to snog a person you know for 5 minutes straight, who would you choose?" She asked and you gritted your teeth. Within moments you sighed, clicking your tongue, blushing faintly. "Papyrus..." You murmured and Maia grinned even wider, clapping her hands. "I AM ON THE SHIP TRAIN!" She exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Wouldn't it be the 'ship' ship, though?" You pointed out and Maia shrugged. "Whatever it is, I'm on it!" She squeaked in a fangirlish manner causing you to snort. "You're such a dork. I'm lucky to have you." You replied with a slight smile, trying to hold it back but failing miserably. "Hehehe~ I can't disagree with that statement!" Maia replied, playfully sticking her tongue out of her mouth before swiftly scooping some popcorn up in her hand, tossing it into her mouth. 

"Alright, my turn.. " You thought, humming to yourself softly as Maia glanced at you in curiosity. "Truth or dare, Maia?" You suddenly asked and she grinned smugly. "Dare. I'm no wuss." She snickered and an evil grin came upon your face, not too much different from hers. "Good." You spoke with a sense of mischief in your tone. 

"I dare you to go to that window over there, open it and profess your 'love' to a random dude that you make up." You dared your friend and she sighed, stifling a laugh. "Oh you little jerk, I'll get you back for this." She said in a humored voice, letting out a small laugh. "Mmhm~ I'm sure big, brave Maia isn't too scared to do this now, is she~?" You teased, causing her to stand up. "Oh, not at all. I'm up to the challenge, (Y\N). Watch and learn, my friend." She giggled as she walked to the big windows facing the street, pulling up the blinds to reveal the dark night sky, before promptly opening the middle window. 

Being interested in what was about to happen, you grabbed a few pieces of popcorn before popping them into your mouth. The buttery flavor only making your mouth water and leaving your body wanting to consume more. Which you did happily, tossing a couple more pieces into your mouth as she leaned her head out the window, taking a deep breath. "World, I have something to confess! I am in love with Antonio McGee! He is my love, he is my life and I want to marry him in the Taco Bell Chapel in Las Vegas. Thank you, that is all! Arrivederci!" She shouted loudly from the window, before leaning back in the apartment, shutting the window back and locking it. She turned to you, smiling slyly. "I did it, hon~ Now it's your turn." She giggled evilly, rubbing her hands together before turning back to the window and shutting the blinds. 

"Honestly, you did that well for it having been off the top of your head. Congrats. I liked the Italian at the end." You replied a bit nervously, rubbing your hand on the back of your neck. "Mmhm, it's not my first rodeo." Maia joked as she turned back to you, walking back to the couch and sitting down. "Oh, one last thing, honestly, keep the Taco Bell Chapel thing in mind. Sans adores Taco Bell and your wedding should 100% be there." You commented and she blushed. "Oh, hush. But, ehhh- I'll definitely write that idea down." She spoke before chuckling slightly, causing you to laugh as well. 

"Mmm, alright. (Y\N), truth or dare?" Maia asked, taking a handful of popcorn and shoving it into her mouth comically. You snorted, covering your mouth at the sight, but turned away to stop from wanting to burst out laughing. "Uhh, I'm gonna probably regret this, but dare." You replied and Maia's gaze instantly lit up, the grin only growing on her face. "How perfect." She remarked, moving her eyebrows up and down at you. "Well, shit. What are you planning, ya mischievous no good?" You giggled jokingly. 

Maia winked, adjusting her sitting position before picking up your phone from the couch beside you. "I dare you to call Papyrus and compliment his smile." Maia spoke and you nearly choked on your own saliva in surprise. "Wh-what?" You stuttered, your face turning a faint pink. "You heard me, gal. Call Shaggy Rogers~" She teased, and as upset as you'd like to be, you couldn't help but snort at her comparison between Shaggy from Scooby Doo to Papyrus. You do see it too, after all. "Maia, you're such a butt." You remarked and Maia grinned. "I know~ put the call on speaker too, girly~" Maia spoke in a teasing manner, tossing your phone to you, which you caught expertly. "Fineeee-" You whined, unlocking your phone and going to your contacts again. 

Looking through your recent calls, you soon spotted Papyrus and clicked the call button nervously. As soon as it started ringing, you put the call on speaker and shushed Maia who in response just started to chow down on the popcorn as if she was watching a movie. 

"hello? (y/n)? wuzzup?" Papyrus' voice spoke suddenly which almost made you jump out of your skin. His answer was unusually fast. 

"Oh! Hello, Paps! I just uh- wanted to call you and say how much I appreciate your smile. It always makes me feel better, no matter the circumstance." You replied, leaning your head against your palm, smiling. Even if the compliment is a show for Maia, in your mind it's more of a truth... Just a truth you weren't ready to tell him yet. 

Papyrus fell silent, his soft breaths could be heard slightly on the other line, but it seems like he's at a loss for words. You can't stop the anxiety from lingering in your mind. After all, your entire friendship, and possibility of it becoming anything more hangs in the balance. Your heart is beating fast and you place your free hand on your chest, feeling the rapid thudding of you heart, shutting your eyes as you worriedly wait for a response. 

"oh yeah?" His voice finally came. It was calm and didn't lack any of the warmth that you were used to which made you let out a sigh of relief. "Yeah. Is that surprising or something, Papy?" You asked, it was almost like you could feel him smiling through the phone. "well, i dunno. i just uh- wasn't expectin' a compliment like that. i was happy to hear it though. glad my smile can make your day, (y\n)." Papyrus replied with joy in his tone. "Me too. Thanks for always being there for me. I really, really appreciate it and I want you to know that I'll always return the favor." You replied, letting out a gentle breath, opening your (e\c) eyes again. "'course, i thank ya for that... but trust me, ya already help me a lot. i really needed ta hear that as well." He thanked you kindly. "There's no need to thank me Papy. It's been my utmost pleasure!" You replied enthusiastically. 

"Now, I hate to run, but... I gotta go. I hope to see you tomorrow, honey boi!" You spoke teasingly and you heard Papyrus let out a raspy chuckle. "i'll definitely stop by muffet's just to see ya, hoooney~" He continued to snicker. "Alright, great! You have a great night!" You told him softly. "same to you. night, kid!" He said in return. "Thank you, bye!" You responded. "bye!" Was the last thing you said before hanging up. 

After you ended the call, you realized that during the entire phone call with Papyrus, you didn't even pay attention to Maia in the slightest. And as soon as you turned to her, she was grinning wildly, acting like a complete fangirl. "You're so in love!" She exclaimed happily which caused you to smile, rubbing the back of your neck. "I know... It's exhilarating, yet exhausting at the same time." You replied quietly and she nodded, patting your thigh. "I know it is, but I believe in you. You need to tell him!" She spoke urgently, causing you to bite your lip. "I know, I know... But I'm just waiting for the right time. Trust me," You sighed. "I know what I'm doing." You continued on softly. 

"Good... Now, it's your turn now. How about one more round?" Maia suggested and you put your phone down beside yourself. "Of course, that sounds lovely." You replied with a small nod. "Truth or dare, Maia?" You asked before popping a couple pieces of popcorn into your mouth. "Go ahead, dare me as per usual." She giggled, leaning back into your couch. "I dare you to post the worst selfie in your camera roll onto your Instagram with the caption 'Wifey Material'." You chuckled and Maia shook her head, pulling her phone from her pocket, quickly typing in her passcode before opening Instagram and beginning to go through her photos. After a few seconds, she clicked on a photo and showed it to you. It was of her doing a very weird face, her entire face was scrunched up and her eyes were crossed. You instantly snorted at the sight of it. "Perfect, now type in the caption and post it." You spoke and she nodded, doing just as you said. Within a few seconds, she showed you the post and you gave your friend a thumbs up. "That works!" You giggled. 

"Now, truth or dare?" Maia asked you, letting out a yawn. "Mmm, I think I'll dabble with a dare." You replied, placing your hands behind your head in relaxation. "Good. I dare you to chug the bottle of honey in your pantry like Papyrus does." Maia spoke with an evil grin. "Oh shit, a normal person can't drink honey. It's too thick." You pointed out and Maia shrugged. "We'll see~" She cooed before getting up and walking into your kitchen, pulling out a bottle of honey from your pantry, putting all of it into a glass before adding water, stirring them together. Within a few minutes, she came back with a trash can and the glass, handing both to you. "Enjoy!" She spoke and you looked at the glass and your stomach churned just at the sight of the concoction Maia had mixed up. "Welp, hope I don't die." You said before lifting the glass to your lips, downing it as fast as you could. Within a few -not so good- seconds, you placed the glass on the table and recoiled at the gross taste, before promptly letting out a loud burp which Maia began to howl with laughter over. 

"Excuse me-" You apologized before covering your mouth, suddenly feeling very queasy. "I'm all of the sudden not feeling so tight..." You murmured softly before grabbing the trashcan, setting it onto your knees. 

"Oh, maybe that wasn't a good ide-" Maia was cut off by you gagging, then quickly vomiting into the trashcan. "Oh shit. That is not good. I got you, (Y\N)!" Maia spoke before springing into action, walking over and patting your back soothingly. "Sorry, (Y\N)!" She apologized as you continued to heave into the black trashcan. She changed her approach into rubbing circles on your back, but it didn't help much. 

Oh, boy. It's gonna be a long night, isn't it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, hello there. I've now caught up on all 3 of my current ongoing stories. That's exciting, isn't it? Oh! Also, I guess I should update you on #BoCpetproject. I had around... 5-8 people post pictures. Not as many as I'd hoped, but I have an inkling that some people have their accounts set to private so I wasn't able to see all the submissions. But, that's alright! Thank you to those who participated! I really loved seeing the photos! I still need to post my picture tbh, haha. 
> 
> Anyways, I know you all love Underswap Papyrus, so I'd like to advertise a oneshot x reader I did of the carrot boy! I had lots of fun writing it so I hope you enjoy reading it! It isn't connected to this story, but it has a lot of fluff that I hope you guys will like! (You can find it on my Deviantart, Quotev, and Wattpad)
> 
> Anyways, I feel like this is another filler chapter, but I tried my best to make it fun and interesting with the Truth or Dare half. So, I hope you guys liked that? Lmao, I'm trying my best, okay? Haha. 
> 
> I really appreciate how many of you all read this story. It's actually really crazy to me? I am not sure the exact number, but I think I can estimate it's at least over 1,100+??? It's kinda hard to tell, but that seems kinda accurate since it's on 4 websites and I think that's a pretty good estimate. But, I really wish I could get to know you all a bit more. So, here's another little exercise. Include a little fun fact about yourself in a comment down below. I'll start by leaving one here. I have a thing called "sectoral heterochromia" which means my irises have two different colors in them. For me, they're both split between blue and green and I just discovered them earlier this year after years of arguing with people over my eye color. Haha. 
> 
> Anyways, thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed and have a wonderful day\night, frens! <3


	39. "Friendly Revelations"

There's not much to say about the hours following the terrible idea of drinking the wretched honey water other than the fact that it was long and uncomfortable. The pain in your stomach hadn't even completely subsided by the time you'd finally fallen asleep around 3:30 AM, but you didn't tell Maia. For all she knew, you went to bed at 1:00 AM. But, alas. You weren't able to sleep. So, you sat awake going down the wormhole of weird videos on YouTube ranging on how snails reproduce to the renowned video "Late For Meeting" by David Lewandowski. 

But, eventually you fell asleep with your phone laying flat on your face. How that happened, you're not completely sure—though it's still funny nonetheless. Well, funny until your alarms went off early in the morning and scared the heck out of you. 

When it happened, you jumped so fast that your phone was actually launched across your small bedroom, twisting and turning in the air until it hit the floor, alarm still going. Thank God you had a case on your phone or else, it would've been done for. 

After getting your phone off the floor though, you felt the sleepiness in you and just knew you couldn't go to work, so you reluctantly called in sick again and apologized to Muffet who luckily understood your lack of sleep, sickness and pained words. After all, even though it'd been a good 6 to 7 hours or more since ingesting that poison, your stomach still felt the affects incredibly well. So, with a yawn, you climbed back into bed and fell asleep for a good, long while. 

At least, until you were shaken awake. "Morning, (Y\N)!" Maia's cheery voice awoke you and you groaned, pulling your covers over yourself. "Ten more minutes—" You whined and Maia chuckled. "Come on, I got us some breakfast sandwiches!" Maia exclaimed and you groaned again. "I don't think I can eat anything yet. My stomach feels like it was flipped around itself thrice." You murmured and Maia sighed. "Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't mean for you to get so sick and miss work." She quickly apologized and with hesitance, you popped your head out from underneath the covers, blinking your (e\c) eyes sleepily. "No, no... Don't apologize, it's okay." You yawned. "It was gonna happen eventually." You added, slowly sitting up lazily. 

"Yeah, but you said you needed to go to work last night." Maia pointed out, sitting on the side of your bed. "Yeah, I did... But I was just being anxious. I'll be okay." You reassured her gently. "Alright, good... But if you need any money, I can lend you some." Maia offered but you shook your head. "No. It's fine, Maia." You responded as you slowly climbed out of bed. "Say, what kind of sandwich?" You asked suddenly which caused her to giggle. "(f\f), that still your favorite?" She asked and you nodded. "Regrettably, yes. My stomach is wrecked but I wanna eat it so badly-" You whimpered and Maia patted you on the shoulder comfortingly. "It'll all be okay. You can eat it tomorrow. Don't strain your stomach. Just eat some saltine crackers and sip on a ginger ale." Maia spoke with a shrug and you clicked your tongue. "But I don't have either-" You began, but when you saw a grin form on Maia's face you paused. "You got me some, didn't you?" You asked and she nodded rapidly, causing you to shake your head back and forth, chuckling

"Oh, you rascal." You continued to giggle and Maia gently nudged you with her elbow. "Kay, I'll join you in a second. Lemme get dressed and brush my teeth." You responded, fighting a yawn. "Got it! I'll see ya in a minute." She replied, getting up and walking out of your room apace.

\---------------------------------------------

After getting going for the day and hanging out with Maia for around an hour or more, you both plopped down on the couch and began to chat some more. But, that was soon cut off when your phone began to ring. Maia instantly paused mid sentence and you lifted your phone to be able to see the contact name. "Who is it this time?" Maia asked and you felt a smile come upon your lips. "It's Papyrus-" You murmured quietly and Maia giggled, then froze. "Did you tell him you were sick and not coming into work?" She suddenly asked and it almost felt like time froze. "Oh shit. No, I forgot... Dammit!" You gasped and she shook her head. "Answer it, he's gonna be so worried." She remarked and you nodded, answering it. "Hello?" You spoke, only to be greeted with a sigh of relief from Papyrus. 

"thank god, you're okay. when i went into muffet's to see ya, you were nowhere in sight so i waited, and waited until muffet told me ya were sick and i was gettin' real worried there." He suddenly spoke. "Oh, jeez Papyrus... I'm so sorry, I should've called you but it slipped my mind. I feel like such a terrible friend." You groaned, leaning back on the couch, sighing slightly. Maia gently patted your leg at that remark, mouthing "You're not a bad friend, relax." to calm you. 

"nah, nah... you're sick, kid. i don't mean this in a rude way of course, but ya aren't in the right state of mind, ya know? so, i understand and i'm not upset. just glad you're okay!" He replied gently, the warmness in his tone making you smile and get all warm and fuzzy on the inside. "I-oh, well..." You giggled, rubbing your cheek gently to cover your faint blush. "Thank you, oh my gosh..." You replied and you heard him chuckle deeply. 

"oh, by the way, sans and i will probably be bringing ya dinner tonight. he just overheard that you were sick and is on his way to make ya something." He started, pausing. "chara told us that humans eat soup when they're sick, yeah?" He added, almost as if he was double checking the fact. "Yeah, uh—we do, actually. And thank you so much... But you guys don't have to make us anything." You told him gently and you heard him snicker to himself again. "oh, honey, there's no stoppin' sans. once he's goin', he's goin'. so, i'd better go help 'em. or, ya know... the soup could actually make ya more sick." He replied, chuckling again.  "Of course. I'll make sure to update you on how I'm feeling. Thank you so much for understanding, Pap!" You chirped. "ey, it's no prob. i'll see ya tonight, friendo!" Papyrus replied and your smile faultered a bit. "Alright, bye, Papyrus. I can't wait to see you and Sans. Ciao!" You spoke before hesitantly hanging up your cell phone.

"I swear," You started after a short pause, sighing deeply, "it gets harder and harder to say goodbye whenever we talk." you finished softly. Maia gently pat your thigh again. "I know, but just think, in a couple hours you'll see the skeleboy again!" Maia exclaimed enthusiastically and you smiled, nodding. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Just hope Sans' food will be palatable though." You joked and Maia furrowed her eyebrows. "His food can't be that bad." She murmured and you shook your head. "I disagree. It's a well known fact that Sans hasn't mastered much culinary skill yet. But I still love him to death, he's a pure little marshmallow." You giggled and Maia soon joined you. "Well, I hope the dinner is good tonight. I don't wanna vomit in front of your friends." Maia chuckled, causing you to grin and reply with "Same here." in response. 

And then, came a dreaded awkward silence. It lasted for a few minutes, until you finally thought of something to say. "Maia, you know the moment we met?" You asked and she lifted an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah? Mrs. Thomas's Junior year art class." Maia responded and you nodded, validating her response. "Exactly." You murmured and she shifted in her seat. "Now, what are you going on about? What about how we met?" Maia asked and you clicked your tongue. "I was insanely jealous of you when we were first acquainted." You admitted and Maia blinked in surprise. "Why–?" She questioned and you shook your head. "Your art, Maia. You were so freaking advanced! Compared to well... Me!" You explained and her mouth gaped open in surprise. "Really?" She asked, reiterating her surprise. "Yeah." Was all you spoke at first. 

"It... I don't know, the teacher always praised you and just gave me a damn nod every week... It made it hard to create and that made me even more jealous of you... So I kinda disliked you when we first met. But then, I saw who you really were and—in a lack of better words—fell in love with you. Platonically in a friend way, of course." You continued, sighing. Maia smiled at that, throwing her arm around your shoulder. "I'm really happy about that, (Y\N)." She spoke, grinning wider. "I mean, look at us now! Two peas in a pod. Sticking together like glue even though two of our mutual friends slipped away." She responded. 

"Yeah, hah... But I suppose that's the true benefit of a friendship. If it's true, they'll stick with you no matter what... That must be why you're my b-f-f~!" You winked and stuck out your tongue and she giggled. "Aw, hush, I'm flattered, bestie." Maia replied and you both high-fived. "Glad to have you by my side once again. I've missed your company more than I realized." You commented and Maia clicked her tongue, looking toward the windows. "Yeah, I know... I really missed this place." She nearly whispered, suddenly changing the mood of this friendly chat. 

"Do you get homesick?" You asked and Maia slowly nodded, sighing. "All the time. California is so big, I miss Ebott City so much... If you're not careful, you may not be able to get me to leave." Maia responded quietly. "I don't see what's wrong with that." You replied soothingly and Maia turned back to you. 

"(Y\N)... I'm scared." She suddenly spoke quietly. "Why? Is everything okay back at home?" You asked and Maia shook her head, her blonde locks bouncing off her shoulders. "No... This place is my home and almost everything is missing in California." She sighed, shaking her head. "Asgore's leaving in a few months to come back here, my friend, Trey is getting married and moving to Utah, and I gotta leave you behind, my family too and..." Maia paused, shutting her green eyes, letting out a shaky breath. "I'm gonna have to leave Sans... And Papyrus behind on top of that." She finished in a melancholic manner. "I miss the community. I miss it so much. And believe me, I'm thankful to be able to work at such a prestigious company–but I miss home and I can't help it. I wish I could just move back here, to be honest." Maia admitted softly and you quickly moved forward despite the annoying nausea you've been experiencing all day, pulling her into a big hug. 

"Hey, Maia... It'll all be alright. We'll think of something, okay? Skype, ya know?" You tried to soothe her and she wrapped her arms around you tightly. "It's not the same as physical contact..." She murmured. "I know, but its better than nothing... Yeah?" You responded and she nodded.. "I guess..." She muttered softly, almost sounding unsure. 

You continued to rub Maia's back affectionately to calm her until she pulled away from your hold a few minutes later, wiping a lone tear from her cheek. "No matter how rough it seems, I know I can make it through everything." She spoke, her voice strengthening and a slight smile forming on her lips. Her green eyes began to shine again which caused a smile to form on your lips as well. 

"See, that's the spirit, my gal!" You exclaimed causing Maia to absolutely beam. "Hell yeah!" She squeaked in response, raising her clenched fist into the air with enthusiasm. 

A few more minutes passed of silence  before you got another call, your phone ringing nearly scaring the crap out of both you and Maia causing you and her to laugh heartily. "Oh geez, don't they ever give warnings anymore?" You joked before scooting away and picking up your phone. 

"I bet it's Papyrus checking on you already." Maia remarked with a wink and you stifled a laugh, shaking your head. "There's no way." You replied as you lifted the caller ID to eye level and once you saw it, your expression changed from joy to utter dread in a single instant. "It's Mr. Smith... I bet he has news about Austin." You remarked softly, biting your lip. "I bet so too, I'm just crossing my fingers that it's good news." Maia replied, crossing her fingers and holding her breath as you clicked 'accept call', lifting the phone to your ear. 

"Hello?" You spoke, your stomach contorting even more with the added nervousness, making you very queasy. "Hello, Miss (Y\N)... I have something I must tell you." Mr. Smith's familiar voice spoke in response causing your heart to drop out of your chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think it's been too long, correct? Well, I certainly hope not. Haha. Anyway, I apologize for the cliffhanger, but I couldn't resist the evil temptation XD. I will make sure to make the next chapter a lot more interesting than this one though! Well, I hope you still liked this one of course! 
> 
> I actually intended to get this out on the 15th but life didn't agree with that, so I apologize! I actually ended up getting a pretty nasty cold which I'm still getting over and the worst toothache I've ever experienced. So, I have one of my wisdom teeth to thank for that lmao. Wish me luck to get over that too because y'all, I can barely eat, it's rough.
> 
> Oh, I also wanted to address something that I'm pretty sure I forget to mention every time I'm writing one of these out—but if you want to draw fanart of the story, go for it man. I've had quite a few people ask me about it in the past so I just wanna let you all know that I am okay with it as long as you mention the story name and\or my user in a description or whatnot if you post it. But yeah, if you ever do draw anything let me know too because I wanna see it and I usually feature all art I receive of the story as chapter art or as a featured link in the A\N. Just wanted to let ya know! I love seeing everyone's artistic visions and representations, to be honest! 
> 
> Thanks for participating in my last exercise in the comments, by the way! I liked getting to know you all a bit better! If you wanna have another exercise this time, feel free to comment below any theories you have about what's gonna happen in this story. Theories are literally my favorite thing to hear, haha. 
> 
> Anyways, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this latest installment of the hit soap opera 'Bone of Contention'! Haha. I hope you have a wonderful day\night! Peace out, broskis!
> 
> -Indiana


	40. "Recuperation"

"Yeah? What is it, Mr. Smith?" You asked, worry consuming your normal tone. You could sense the hesitance in the detective's demeanor, even through the phone. Your heart seemed to be beating 100 miles an hour and you clenched your fist as you hoped for somewhat okay news. 

"It's about Austin." He paused, a sigh slowing down his next response. Now, Maia was eavesdropping in on the conversation and she sensed the growing tension, so she gently took your clenched fist and unwound it before you bruised yourself. After that, she gingerly took your hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Take a deep breath, everything will be okay. It's not like the jerk murdered anyone." She spoke soothingly and you obeyed, taking in a deep breath, before exhaling slowly to calm your nerves. 

"We managed to track down Austin's home, he wasn't there and his roommate had no idea what was going on, he just said he packed his stuff and bolted. He gave us his family's contact info though, so when we went to interview them, they gave us frightening news. He's done this before. He did this in his senior year of highschool to a fellow senior named Jazlyn Bell." Mr. Smith began to explain. 

"He's done it before? Why wasn't he charged for it?!" You demanded to know and Mr. Smith clicked his tongue, letting out another sigh. "It didn't go as far as it did with you and the parents decided to not take it any further than a restraining order. They only reported the stalking and nothing more, so after police questioning he was let go without being charged." He explained, disappointment in his tone. "You can't be serious!" You exclaimed, your voice cracking with emotion. "I'm so sorry, (Y\N), I really am. I am making sure our men are looking for that wretched man as best as they can. We've let over 30 police stations within 200 miles know about this and we are planning on making sure you and Jazlyn get the justice you both deserve." Mr. Smith promised and you shook your head, holding in countless swears. 

"His family and our taskforce have all teamed up. We will not let this douche slip through our hands again. He'll fall right into our trap. Just please, Miss (Y\N)... Promise me you won't lose hope. You need to stay strong." Mr. Smith told you softly and reluctantly, you sighed before letting out a simple, "Okay... I'm trying my best, Noah." 

"Thank you, ma'am... Now have a good day, I will call you if any more news springs about. Goodbye." He spoke quietly. After a second, you finally felt you were able to respond, so you let out a solemn "Bye..." before promptly hanging up. 

Immediately after the phone call, Maia helped you up. "Okay, no moping around. That's not gonna help this situation whatsoever." She spoke and you let out a groan in protest. "Can't I just go cry?" You asked and she grabbed her phone. "No. Hey, Siri! Play What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong." She spoke and after a few seconds, the classic song that you and your friends used to listen to together came on. You tried to hold back a smile, but failed and started grinning almost instantly once you heard the lyrics start. "Oh, heck, Maia. Can't I just mope without you ruining it?" You giggled and Maia chuckled. "So, do you want to get prettied up to surprise Papyrus?" She asked and despite your nausea still being in the sidelines, you grinned and nodded. "Sure. I wanna see his reaction." You replied and Maia winked. "Me too, now, let's begin~" Maia giggled as she grabbed your hand and ran you to your closet to pick out an outfit. 

\---------------------------------------------

After around an hour and a half, your entire getup was complete. But, it was done in a manner that you still remained true to yourself. Your hair was fixed up to complement your (h\t) and had product in it that upped the texture and waves, your makeup was done somewhat and you were dressed in a cute, but simple outfit. To be specific, a loose (s\f\c) long sleeve waffle-knit tee, a pair of medium-wash ripped skinny jeans, a simple black choker necklace and an old pair of black low top converse. 

"And, we're done, perfecto!" Maia exclaimed as you looked in the mirror. "Nice. I like it. What a complete lewk." You chuckled and she patted your shoulder before sitting on the side of your bed. "Papyrus is gonna think you look cute as heck!" She exclaimed, then she paused, her lips curling into an evil grin. "But I have something to add to the possibility!" She spoke, jumping up and running to her bags, tearing through them before holding up a cat ear headband triumphantly into the air. "This'll go perfectly!" She remarked as she walked over. 

You whined a bit, but complied and let her slide the headband on top of your head. "But now I look childish." You complained and Maia shook her head. "No, man. You look hella adorable in this. Papyrus will love it!" She assured you, and you became less hesitant. "Really?" You asked for reassurance and she nodded with an excited smirk. "Of course! Why wouldn't he?" She questioned, but before you could respond, your phone started to ring again. 

"Oh joy, it'd better be something good this time." You grumbled as you walked to the dresser. "Me too. I'm almost ready to smack that detective for pestering you with bad news." Maia huffed, crossing her arms and leaning on one hip. 

And well, thankfully, you were blessed with something good for once. The caller ID said none other than the 'honey-meister' himself. "Oh, thank God! It's Papyrus!" You squeaked as you snatched your phone up, answering it and placing it against your ear. "Ello~ it's (Y\N) speaking, do I have the pleasure of speaking with the honey-meister himself on this fine afternoon?" You asked, suppressing a giggle. You could hear Papyrus snicker on the other side of the line, his raspy chuckle making a huge smile form on your lips. "yes, yes you do. now bow to me, peasant!" He exclaimed, then cracked up laughing, you soon following after him. 

After laughing for a good while, you both managed to clam down. "heh, sorry. i was callin' to say we're gonna be at your place soon. like, in... 8 minutes or so." Papyrus spoke, his tone calm. "Oh, gee. What a treat! Will you guys be visiting?" You asked, elation very obviously in your voice. "'course! sans and i are plannin' on visitin' a bit if that's good." Papyrus responded and you looked to Maia who looked hopeful. "Of course! You two are always welcome! Especially since I am feeling much better now." You replied. "ey, that kinda makes us bringin' ya chow pointless." Papyrus joked with a hearty chuckle. "guess sans and I will be eatin' dinner ourselves!" He playfully remarked and you heard Sans huff on the other line. "STOP SCARING HER, BROTHER! NO BEING SHALL STARVE TONIGHT! NOT UNDER MY WATCH! MWEH HEH HEH!" He exclaimed and Papyrus stifled a laugh. "dang, you're right, bro. sorry, (y\n). we'll make sure ya get plenty to eat as your body recuperates. oh, and i guess we can share with maia." He responded and Sans quickly interjected again. "MAIA CAN GET AS MUCH AS SHE WANTS. WE SHALL LET HER KNOW THAT, PAPY!" He grumbled and you laughed softly. "How adorable." You commented and Papyrus just responded with a humored "mmhm". 

"Well, we can't wait to see you two! I'll let you go for now, but good luck getting me to stop talking once you get here." You joked with a giggle and he chuckled as well. "a'ite." He started, then paused. "cya gals in a second! ciao!" Papyrus responded before hanging up. 

"What did Sans say about me?" Maia suddenly asked, a giant grin on her face which caused you to snort. "He was defending our right to eat, then went into specifics with you." You replied in amusement. "How precious! Wait, do I look okay?" Maia's countenance suddenly changed into one of nervousness as soon as it sank in that her crush was coming over. "You look better than okay, you look great!" You complimented your friend as you looked over her outfit for the day. She smiled at your compliment, chirping in response with a content "Thanks!". 

Maia was dressed in a royal blue long sleeve tunic, black leggings and a pair of skinny brown boots that went just below her knee. The outfit definitely complimented her long blonde hair and you just knew in your heart that Sans would adore it. 

But before the conversation could continue, you looked at the time and your heart skipped a beat. It had already been 6 minutes since Papyrus had said he'd be arriving in 8 minutes. And well, that was your cue. It was time for you to rush downstairs and meet the boys at the door. So, you grabbed Maia's hand and dragged her to the door. "We gotta meet them, we don't wanna be late!" You spoke urgently as soon as you reached the door. You speedily grabbed your keys and attached them onto your belt loop with the karabiner on your keychain, then bolted out the door, Maia following close behind. 

You ran down the stairs as fast as you could. In fact, you felt bad for your neighbors. They probably thought a horse was trotting down these old, creaky steps thanks to the over the top noise that was echoing around the small apartment building. 

But, lucky for them, it stopped within a minute or so when you jumped down from the last step onto the wooden floor at the bottom of the steps. Though, Tyler must've not been bothered by the thudding coming from the stairs above his apartment because you could hear him playing the ukulele softly. You couldn't make out exactly what he was saying, but it still sounded beautiful. Almost angelic. 

Your thoughts were torn from his music once Maia reached the bottom of the stairs though, and of course, you both turned your attention to someone else. Well, to be more specific, two different people. And knowing, they'd appear at any moment, you and Maia quickly made your way outside and sat on the steps in front of your home. 

"I'm having heart palpitations." You said randomly, braking the silence which made Maia laugh. "Me too, I'm so nervous." She responded as she played with her long blonde hair. "Well, at least we're both in the same boat." You giggled and Maia snorted. "We just need to make sure we don't rock it too hard and we'll be fine." Maia joked with a nudge of her elbow. You couldn't help but laugh at her joke. It put a giant smile on your face and you suppressed your own snort. "You're such a dork. I love you." You replied and she winked, giving you a fist-bump with a snicker following it. 

And as you waited, you just so happened to see a bright cyan sports car drive slowly down the road. You thought it was quite unusual for this area, until you saw it park in front of the houses on the opposite side of the street. Then, a conversation you had with Sans back on his birthday suddenly registered in your mind. 

"Holy shit I thought he was joking about having a sports car!" You remarked and Maia's mouth dropped open. "Is that Papyrus'?!" She remarked in surprise and you shook your head. "No, Maia... That's Sans'! He has... He has a bright cyan sports car... Oh my God, he's so extra!" You exclaimed, then giggled and Maia quickly joined you. 

"HELLO, GIRLS!" Sans suddenly called and waved as soon as he got out of the car. And in return, you both got up and looked both ways before crossing the street over to his car. "Hello boys~." You replied playfully. "I love your car!" Maia exclaimed as she walked to Sans, observing the fancy automobile. "THANK YOU! IT IS VERY GREAT, ISN'T IT?" Sans responded, leaning against it proudly. He patted the side, as if it was his own child and seemed to gush on and on all about how he adores it. But, you eventually tuned that out as you watched Papyrus' emerge from the passenger seat of the fancy car. 

In a rare occurrence, Papyrus was in a different outfit. Something actually quite hipster and cute. He was dressed in a black graphic tee with a skeleton on the front of it. Above and below the skeleton were the words 'you can't skelerun from my skelepuns.'. And over that t-shirt was a white and black checked long sleeve button up. But, plot twist, it was unbuttoned to let the t-shirt below it show in its complete glory. Let's not forget the glorious, and almost classic tan cargo shorts that adorned his hips. They blend well with the look and his red sneakers add just enough color to make the look pop. 

"Oh, man. Papyrus, you're styling today!" You exclaimed, a goofy smile on your face. "same to you, (y\n)." He replied back with happiness in his gaze. He seemed to look you up and down, his grin widening as he observed the outfit you and Maia had picked out to impress him. In fact, you could even swear that the tall skeleton's cheekbones were a faint orange. "Aw, you're as sweet as honey! Love your shirt, by the way. It's bad to the bone." You chirped with a wink and he chuckled. "thanks, (y\n). i thought it was pretty hip." He thanked you and you dipped your head. "Your outfits are always bone-a fide fashion statements." You remarked and he chuckled a bit more before you charged toward him, wrapping your arms around him once again. Instantly, his arms wrapped around you too and you could feel the smile on his skull widen just by the happiness in his aura as he squeezed you.

"YOU TWO NEED TO FIND MORE PUNS. NOT THAT I'M ENCOURAGING YOUR 'SILLY' PUN BATTLES, BUT YOU'RE BOTH JUST RECYCLING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER. I SHOULD START CALLING YOU TWO BOB THE BUILDER..." Sans huffed and Maia grinned, "Reduce, reuse, recycle!" She chanted and Sans got visibly excited, stars forming in his irises. "YOU KNOW THAT?" He asked in surprise and Maia nodded in response. "Yeah! Bob the Builder was one of my favorite childhood shows!" Maia replied and Sans clapped his hands together. "I STILL WATCH IT! WELL... ERM, I MEAN, I WATCH IT WITH CHARA!" He replied and you snorted. "We'll try to come up with new meme material, but for now, we'll stay more environmentally friendly and recycle our puns until they're not funny." You laughed as you stepped away from Papyrus. "i agree with (y\n). bob the builder tells us that for a reason, doesn't he, bro?" He replied and Sans rolled his irises. 

"It's quite chilly out here, shall we move indoors?" Maia asked and the boys nodded. "YES, OF COURSE. JUST LET ME GET MY SOUP! PAPYRUS, CARRY THE BAG!" Sans ordered and Papyrus smirked devilishly. "yes, sire." He replied as he walked over to his little brother. 

Sans opened the back seat of his car and pulled out a bright blue pot filled with soup, then Papyrus ducked in and pulled out a bag, holding it in his left hand. Once Papyrus was done, he shut the door and everyone started making their way back to your apartment. Once you all got inside the complex, everyone went step-by-step all the way until your door. Then, you took to the front of the line, unlocked the door and let everyone inside. 

"GLAD TO SEE YOU'RE ALREADY FEELING BETTER IN THE PRESENCE OF THIS MAGNIFICENT SOUP!" Sans suddenly spoke as he walked inside, him being the last person to stroll inside. He shut the door after himself and looked over to you. "Oh, yes! Just smelling it makes my whole body feel so much better." You lied just to appease him and keep him happy. "GREAT! THAT WAS MY INTENTION AT LEAST!" He absolutely beamed at the positivity in the room and he soon made it for the kitchen, everyone else following him like a mob of hungry dogs. 

"we eatin' now, bro?" Papyrus asked, pulling a container of sour cream and pre-washed cilantro out of the bag he was carrying. "OF COURSE! MAIA AND (Y\N) MUST BE STARVED!" He responded and Papyrus nodded. "right, right. as am i." Papyrus replied and Sans let out a loud "UGH!". "BROTHER, YOU JUST ATE AN ENTIRE BIG MAC FROM MCDONALD'S! " He shouted and Papyrus grinned, shrugging. "so?" 

"YOU SHOULDN'T BE HUNGRY YET, YOU BONEHEAD!" Sans huffed and Maia giggled at how adorable the short skeleton looked when he was angry. This, of course caused Sans to snap out of his tantrum and his irises morphed into stars again as he heard Maia's laugh. "OH... UH, S-S-SORRY, ANYWAY... P-PAPY, S-SHALL WE?" He suggested with a stutter as he placed the pot of soup onto your stove top. "yeah, 'course." Papyrus replied and he looked to you. 

You took this as a signal and walked to the kitchen cabinets, pulling out four bowls and placing them onto the countertop. "What do we have the pleasure of tasting tonight, Sans?" You asked and he smiled. "TACO SOUP!" He exclaimed and you fought hard to hold back a laugh. "Taco soup, huh? That sounds de-lish!" Maia exclaimed and Sans nodded cutely, tugging on his blue bandana nervously. "QUEEN TORIEL HELPED ME FIND A RECIPE AND SHE HELPED ME COOK IT! SO, WE HAVE HER TO THANK! OH, AND ME TOO OF COURSE! MWEH HEH HEH!" He spoke and Maia clapped her hands. "Oh, boy! I'm so excited to taste it!" She replied and Sans completely beamed at her response. "THEN... YOU GO AHEAD! MAIA SERVES HERSELF FIRST! GARNISH IT WITH SOUR CREAM AND CILANTRO AS YOU WISH!" Sans spoke with a wide grin. He then lifted the lid of the pot he'd brought and steam from the warm food billowed into the air. As soon as the steam had cleared a bit, Sans put a spoon into the soup and stepped out of the way. 

Maia took this as her cue and stepped forward, taking a bowl, filling it with her desired amount of soup. Then, she moved over to the next setup and put a smidge of cilantro into her bowl. After she was done, she headed to the living room and sat on the couch. 

"IT'S YOUR TURN, (Y\N)!" Sans spoke as he gestured to the stove. "eeyup, ladies first~!" Papyrus teased in response and you rolled your eyes. You walked to the stove, got your desired amount of soup in a bowl and then fixed it up just the way you'd like it. Then you gestured to the guys. "Now, which lady is next now, Papy?" you asked to poke fun at them before quickly winking and dashing away. 

"oh, you bonehead." Papyrus snickered as he and Sans began to fix their bowls up. After you had already sat down, you realized they didn't have any drinks and you face-palmed. "Oh, damn. I'm such a bad host." You murmured, groaning. "I'll be right back." You told Maia before you got up, entering the kitchen right as Sans was about to exit. "Oh, man. I almost forgot. What would you two like to drink?" You asked, walking to cabinet again. "WATER, PLEASE!" Sans responded as he walked into the living room. "what sodas ya got?" Papyrus asked as he sprinkled cilantro on top of the dollop of sour cream in his bowl. 

"Coke, Dr. Pepper, Root Beer-" You began to list, but Papyrus cut you off. "eyy, i love dr. pepper. i'll have that, thanks." He spoke, the rasp in his voice prominent. "Alright, I'll be right back!" You told him with a bright smile, and he returned it, dipping his head before exiting. 

And as you got their drinks ready, your mind wandered to all the fun you and your posse are going to have today. That got you excited, actually, absolutely adrenalized. So, as soon as you had fixed Sans' water and grabbed Papyrus' Dr. Pepper from the fridge, you headed back to the living room to hang out with your three favorite people for as long as you possibly could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, hi. Seems I finally updated this story again, didn't I? How kind of me XD
> 
> No, no, in all seriousness, I apologize lol. I meant to update long ago, but I was gonna write two birthday oneshots and I only got one of those done because I've been weirdly busy and whenever I needed to write, I lacked the motivation to do so. But, since I had made you guys wait way too long on a cliffhanger, I decided to go ahead and update BoC and here we are... Even if it took a long while to write this chapter. Haha. 
> 
> I'm not gonna ramble too much this time, but if you wanna check out that aforementioned birthday oneshot, I'd really appreciate it! It's a Classic Paps X Reader based around old detective movies and it's literally my favorite thing that I've ever written. So, feel free to check it out on any of my other writing sites. 
> 
> Oh, one question before I write my farewell from this A\N, since this probably won't be updated by Halloween, I'll ask now. Are you guys dressing up for Halloween? If so, comment below what you're gonna be! I'm quite curious! My mom and I are just walking around town again this year. Just, this time I'm dressing as a Bandito and she's dressing as Nico. Both from the Twenty Øne Piløts Trench universe if you didn't know. 
> 
> Anyways, I really hope that you guys liked this chapter! I worked my hardest on it. And yes, of course I love all the cuteness just as much as you guys hopefully do. Haha. Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you all have a wonderful day\night! I love you and ciao! <3
> 
> -Indiana


	41. "Laughter is the Best Medicine"

As soon as you made your way into the living room, the air instantly became warmer with affection and affinity. It made the smile on your face widen even more. You then walked across the floor until you reached Sans, handing him his water and as you turned to go to the couch, it clicked in your mind... Maia had gotten Papyrus to sit on the couch, leaving you to sit next to him. She's quite the sneaky shipper, isn't she?

"Papyrus, I got your Dr. Pepper." You commented, sitting beside the lanky skeleton. "thank ya, it's much appreciated." He thanked you in response, eagerly taking it from your grasp and cracking it open. With one swift move, he lifted the drink to his teeth and started downing it. The fizzing of the carbonation popped against the aluminum can, causing it to have various popping noises, but, nobody minded. 

"Now, did you make this yourself, Sans? It smells absolutely delectable!" You asked and Maia nodded rapidly. "It smells so good!" Maia agreed and Sans beamed in the compliments, his shoulders held straight and a wide grin plastered onto his skull. After a moment of thought, he hummed slightly. "AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE TO TAKE CREDIT, IT'D BE MORALLY WRONG! AND WELL, I GO BY MORALS! MWEH HEH HEH!" Sans exclaimed and Maia giggled at his enthusiasm cutely. "WE HAD QUEEN TORIEL AND ASGORE OVER, SO I ASKED THEM FOR ANY SOUP TIPS AND WELL... THIS HAPPENED! ASGORE AND PAPYRUS HELPED MAKE IT TOO!" Sans admitted. "aw, hush. i did nothin'." Papyrus replied in response, placing his bowl onto his legs. "SURE YOU DID! I WOULD EVEN ARGUE THAT YOU DID MOST OF THE WORK!" Sans replied and Papyrus tugged on the collar of his button up shirt. "nah nah. i dunno what he's goin' on about." Papyrus chuckled and Sans rolled his bright blue irises. 

 

"ANYWAYS, SHALL WE DIG IN?" Sans asked and everyone nodded, replying "Mmhm!" in unison together. "GREAT! LET'S ENJOY THIS TACO-TASTIC MEAL TOGETHER!" Sans remarked and everyone let out a chuckle, then began to eat the soup. And to you, Maia and Papyrus' delight, it was absolutely delicious! Very much unlike the first meal from Sans you had tasted a week ago. Perhaps all he needed to improve was some friendly guidance. 

"Sans, this is so good? You and your crew did a super good job at cooking it!" Maia squeaked and Sans clapped his hands together happily. "THANK YOU, MAIA! COMPLIMENTS TRULY MEAN SO MUCH TO ME COMING FROM YOU!" Sans remarked and Maia placed a hand on top of her heart. "I'm really so glad... I—I could honestly compliment you all day long. You truly deserve it." Maia spoke, her words obviously true and Sans blushed a bright blue. Maia soon joined him, looking down bashfully. 

At this obvious sign of romance on both sides, you and Papyrus exchanged a knowing glance. It was apparent that their relationship was slowly blossoming as if it was a flower growing beneath a thin layer of snow. But as for you and Papyrus' relationship, it seems to not be growing much at all. And of course in comparison, that sucks. But, as you pushed the thought from your mind, you continued eating your dinner, spoonful by spoonful. 

"so, (y\n)... how are ya feeling?" Papyrus suddenly asked, tearing your glance away from your meal, back to his skull. "Oh my goodness, so much better! I am glad that issue didn't stay for long." You replied and he seemed to furrow his 'bone'brows. "issue? what was wrong anyways?" Papyrus asked, and suddenly Maia snorted, laughing pretty hard. "Oh my God, never again." She spoke between laughs and Papyrus, and now Sans just grew more and more confused by the minute. 

"She made me drink a disgusting amount of honey mixed with water. My stomach hurt for hours and I emptied so much of my insides." You laughed and Papyrus stayed silent for a few seconds, then he snorted, busting out laughing. Sans on the other hand just gasped. "THAT CANNOT BE HEALTHY! DO YOU NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL?" He asked in shock and you shook your head. "No, no. Really, I'm completely fine now." You reassured him, and Sans did seem to relax a bit. 

"what tha heck were you two doin' that led to that? you dared to be like me or somethin'?" Papyrus chuckled, then he took a spoonful of soup and placed it into his mouth. "An unfortunately weird game of truth or dare, I'm afraid. Though, if I'm correct, that was the initial reason behind the dare." You responded and Maia shrugged, laughing. "It was something like that." She replied through her small giggles.  

"well, i guess honey's not for everyone in heaping quantities... s'pose i'm a honey addict of sorts." Papyrus snickered. Sans, of course rolled his Olympic blue irises again and Maia simply nodded, but you, of course only you came up with a scheming remark. "Aw, I'm flattered. You're an addict to me? How absolutely sweet, Papy dear!" You joked in reference to the tall skeleton's nickname for you. He seemingly blushed a faint tangerine as he stared at you in confusion, then it sank in and he grinned. "addicted to you,  honey? why, of course. i can bear-ly stand it. it's un-bee-lievable. if i'm not careful, i may have to go to rehab over your sweetness... it's so strong and intense that it stings me. it's gonna be hard to bee-t though, so wish me luck, my queen." He replied, winking with a flirty grin, which in turn made you blush a bright pink. 

"I'm honestly shocked that there were so many puns in that, Papyrus. You have a serious talent." Maia complimented Papyrus and he dipped his head respectively. "why, thank you!" He replied and you almost seemed to be broken, just staying silent. At least, until you finally snapped out of it around 20 seconds later. "Oh- sorry, my mind was somewhere else." You quickly apologized and Sans crossed his legs, finishing his soup before leaning over and placing it on the coffee table. "IN THE GUTTER, (Y\N)?" He asked innocently which caused everyone to look at Sans in surprise silently, then Papyrus and Maia began to chuckle again. "N-no, I-I'm afraid no–no I'm not, I'm not afraid. That wasn't the case, though." You stuttered in embarrassment and quickly shoved more food in your mouth to avoid talking for a while. This of course just caused the scheming pair of friends to just laugh even harder. 

"Sans, can you send me this recipe later?" Maia asked as she turned to her crush, and he nodded. "OF COURSE! WELL... I'LL NEED YOUR NUMBER FIRST, I THINK IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE IN GENERAL! I REALLY THINK YOU'RE SUPER COOL, MAIA!" Sans spoke as he blushed gently and nervously. Maia's own cheeks turned a faint shade of red and you and Papyrus grinned as you watched the cutesy mutual crush grow. In fact, he nudged you as the two characters played nervously with their fingers. "I think you're super cool too, Sans! In fact, you're more than cool... You're magnificent!" Maia spoke, smiling happily and this caused Sans to beam. 

"OH MY STARS, THANK YOU SO MUCH!" He thanked Maia, blushing even more now. "It's my pleasure, Sans! Now, would you like my number now?" Maia asked him, and he nodded rapidly, swiftly pulling out his cellphone and pulling it up so he could add contacts. Maia told him her full name and number, and Sans shot her a text after he had the info in so she could have his number too. Then, Maia carefully wrote his info in, a smirk on her face. "Thank you! I'll make sure to send you plenty of memes now!" She thanked him, and stars appeared in Sans' eye sockets again. "OH, BOY! MEMES? PAPYRUS, UNDYNE AND THE TROLL ON MY UNDERNET PAGE ARE THE ONLY ONES TO EVER SEND ME THOSE!" He squeaked excitedly, and Papyrus snorted softly, leaning close to your ear, whispering. "i'm the troll." which made you stifle a laugh. Of course he messes with his younger brother online.

"A troll? Imma skin them with my bare hands!" Maia exclaimed. "oh, shit." Papyrus continued to whisper, "at least i don't have skin, i guess." he finished and you couldn't help but snort quietly at his remark. 

Papyrus leaned away, then as soon as you had finished your soup, he stood up and took your bowl politely. "Papyrus, I can do that!" You interrupted, but he shook his skull as he gathered everyone's bowls. "nah, nah. i gotta be a gentleman sometimes, ey?" He snickered as he walked into the kitchen causing you to shrug and lean back into the comfort of your beloved couch. 

"So, what next? We can play a game or something!" Maia suggested and Sans nodded, clapping his hands together excitedly. "YES, YES! I LOVE GAMES!" He squealed and you nodded. "Alright, a game sounds nice!" You commented and Papyrus nodded as he walked back into the living area. He took a toothpick from his pocket and placed it between his teeth. Every time he spoke, it flopped about in his jaws, almost as if it was hanging on for dear life. 

"How about telephone?" Maia suggested and you nodded. "Oh, man. I haven't played that in years!" You remarked. "ditto." Papyrus replied as he leaned on one hip, stretching which made his bones crackle. "THAT'S ONE OF CHARA'S FAVORITES! IT'S GROWN ON ME, SO I'D BE GLAD TO PLAY SOMETHING SO IDIOSYNCRATIC!" Sans exclaimed and Papyrus' 'bone'brows seemed to furrow in confusion. "play somethin' so what now?" He questioned and you thought for a second. "I'll take a guess that he's using another word for... Unique?" You asked, tilting your head to the side. And to your surprise, Sans shrugged his shoulders. "I JUST HEARD IT ON TV AND THOUGHT IT SOUNDED CLEVER! BUT, I DO BELIEVE YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH WITH THE DEFINITION!" Sans chirped and Papyrus snickered, his laughs raspy. "ah, well at least ya got a bigger vocab than i do, bro." He commented.  

"YOU WATCH A LOT MORE TV THAN I DO, PAPYRUS! IF YOU CHANNELED YOUR MIND CORR—I SEE THAT LOOK IN YOUR EYE, PAPYRUS, DON'T YOU DARE!" Sans suddenly interrupted himself as Papyrus' wide grin grew more and more. "you channeled it, huh? can ya do that remotely? or, is that a no go?" He chuckled and Sans shook his skull. "OH, TORIEL. PAPYRUS! YOU'RE SUCH A BONEHEAD!" He huffed, crossing his arms. "gee, thanks! i've been drinking more milk recently, ya know to get calcium and then have stronger bones... so glad it's been workin'!" Papyrus smirked, then fixed the collar of his shirt. "OH MY GOD. MAIA, (Y\N), PLEASE MAY WE BEGIN?" Sans asked, frustration in his gaze. But, once Maia made eye contact with the small skeleton, his mood seemed to lift almost completely in an instant. "Of course! While you two were doing that, I got an app to aid us in our game!" Maia spoke with a smile, standing up. "See, this girl plans ahead! Complete girlfriend material!" You complimented your friend as you patted her on the back. 

"Let's begin! Single file line, please!" Maia ordered and you and Sans got up, walking beside the already standing Papyrus. "We're ready!" You chimed and Maia walked to the end of the line–also known as Sans and bent down. She faintly whispered something in his ear, and after a few seconds of Maia repeating her sentence, he turned to Papyrus and he quickly passed it back to you. Your eyebrow furrowed as you listened to the retelling. "A yuppy in a tire hank?" You repeated what you'd heard and Maia snorted loudly, busting out laughing. "Oh my God! That's hysterical! It's 'a guppy in a shark tank'." Maia replied and you nodded in understanding, laughing at how silly what you had heard was. "Ohhh!" you spoke in understanding. 

And as the game went on, it just got weirder and weirder. But, that's not that bad of a thing. Especially if it requires the Skelebros to stay as long as possible. And well, at this point, that may be your main goal. You and Maia are both ecstatic to hang out with the boys, so moments like these are always appreciated. Just pure and undeniably truthful friendships that'll hopefully merge into something else as time goes on. But, for now you enjoy the little things, just like Papyrus holding your hand gently during this calm game of telephone. It's always the small things that bring a smile to your face... Especially if Papyrus is involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, I hope you enjoyed "Laughter Is The Best Medicine" (aka the "Blushing Chapter") XD. Seriously, I looked back and I found out I kept using that word over and over. Six times apparently. Though, I'm sure we'll have another "Blushing Chapter" coming up fairly soon. *wink, wink* 
> 
> Anyways, hello, guys! This may sound silly, but today (since I'm posting this at 12:00 AM) is my birthday and I wanted to give you guys a gift because of it. Normally it doesn't work that way, but I knew it was time to give you guys another chapter and I knew it'd be a good time around Thanksgiving, so this was born! This chapter is another filler I guess? But, I tried to make it as interesting as I could, so hopefully you enjoy it! I mean, we have some puns, romance between the reader and Papyrus, Saia cuteness, laughter... And that may be it lol. I do hope it suffices though! I had a blast writing this chapter!
> 
> Now, you know what happened since the last update came out? fRICKIN CHAPTER ONE OF DELTARUNE! Oh my God, isn't that exciting? It almost came out of the blue and ever since then, the fandom has absolutely exploded. I'm not sure about you guys, but don't you absolutely love it? I mean, I do! It's Undertale content again, our lanes were so darn dry. Haha. 
> 
> Anyways, I had someone mention this, but I guess me asking you guys questions chapter-ly has become a tradition at this point... So, my question for this upload is, what day is your birthday? I'm sure you already know mine if you read this the day it's posted, but if you don't, mine's on November 21st. I'm curious to see if any of you guys share a birthday, so I'll keep an eye out. 
> 
> Anyways, thank you so much for reading and I hope you guys have a nice day\night! I love you guys! Ciao! 


	42. "Strange Squad Goals"

After a long night of fun and games, you looked at the clock to see that time truly does fly by when your having fun, for you thought it was merely 9:30 PM, but the true time ended up being an astounding 11:00 PM. Definitely later than Papyrus, or Sans meant to stay. 

"OH STARS! IT'S WAY PAST MY CURFEW ALREADY!" Sans suddenly gasped, jumping up from his chair. "Oh, geez! You can't be serious! It's already that late?" Maia asked in response, cocking her head to the side. "'parently." Papyrus replied with a big yawn, stretching. 

"I have no idea where the time went, but I'm extremely grateful I got to spend tonight with you three." You commented, smiling as you went to stand up, but, Papyrus quickly took your hand gently and squeezed it which made you stop immediately. 

"likewise, ya know, i had a blast tonight 'n' stuff. let's do this more often." Papyrus agreed, a smile on his face. Sans brightened up at Papyrus' suggestion, his smile widening and his irises growing in his eye sockets. "THAT'S A BRILLIANT IDEA! WE MUST DO THAT IN THE FUTURE!" Sans shouted in response and Maia clapped excitedly. "Heck yeah!" Then, she paused, biting her lip, her smile disappearing for a mere second. She remembered that she doesn't live here, didn't she? That's sad. So, you gave her a gentle smile to hopefully cheer her up, which it seemed to do just a little bit. 

"So, what're we doing now? You boys have to go, don't you?" You asked, biting your lip as you looked to Sans, then Papyrus. They exchanged glances, humming in thought and Sans tapped his chin with a phalange. "WELL–" 

Sans was suddenly cut off by a loud knock on your front door. That caused concern to race through your mind. Especially since there's no way for the public to come into this apartment complex without the key. Unless, they broke in, or they're simply a neighbor. But a neighbor knocking at 11:00 PM? Unlikely. So, you bit your lip, turning to Papyrus, your (e\c) eyes holding fear within them. 

"You don't think that's 'him', do you?" You asked, your heart beginning to thud in your chest. Papyrus turned his skull to the door and stared at it seriously. "i don't know..." He spoke quietly and with hesitation, you began to stand up, but he squeezed your hand again. "stop. just leave them." He spoke and you looked to him. "WELL, IT SOUNDS AS IF THEY ALREADY LEFT! I'M SURE IT'S JUST ONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS ASKING FOR SUGAR!" Sans chimed in and your eyebrows furrowed. "At 11:00 PM?" Maia questioned and Sans shrugged his shoulders. "I MEAN, WHY NOT?" He responded and Maia clicked her tongue. "Huh, you have a point if they were baking, but why bother your neighbor at 11:00 PM?" Maia once again pointed out. 

Sans was going to reply, but the knock repeated, even louder this time. It was almost laced with a sense of determination due to its commanding and brisk sound. This made your heart beat faster, and your grip on Papyrus' hand strengthen as you began to shake. "Oh God.... It's... It's..." Your voice began to waver due to the intense anxiety filling your head and it seemed Papyrus couldn't handle it, he stood up and let go of your hand. "i'm gonna deal with 'em." He rasped and your heart skipped a beat. "PAPY, NO! SIT BACK DOWN!" Sans commanded, but Papyrus started to walk forward anyways, causing you to stop his stride by grabbing a hold of his shirt. "No, Papyrus. H-he could hurt you!" You pleaded and he froze, then as he began to turn to you, you let go. "well, what're we supposed to do then?" He asked, sighing gently.  "Let me go with you to open it, Papyrus." Maia spoke but you shook your head immediately. "N-no. Not you either, Maia." You spoke, getting up and walking to Papyrus' side, looking up at him. "no, you ain't opening the door." Papyrus spoke commandingly, his hand reaching forward and laying on your shoulder. "Y-you're right, I won't—alone... Papy will you... Uh... O-open the door with me?" You asked nervously. 

Papyrus furrowed his 'bone'brows for a second, then let his hand fall from your shoulder as he nodded slowly. "only if you stand behind me." He sighed, continuing to trudge forward. You bit your lip and nodded, but as you followed in his footsteps, one more hearty knock sounded out. That make you quicken your pace, slipping past Papyrus to the peephole in the door. 

The person is tall, most likely male. But thanks to their height and how close they're to the door, you can't see their face. That's not good, because ruling in the height, this could very likely be Austin for sure. And with this person's style, it's also likely be Austin. A gray sweater layered over a white button up shirt. And along with that is a pair of relaxed fit blue jeans. 

"who is it?" Papyrus whispered and you frowned, stepping away. "I don't know. Too tall and too close." You spoke, biting your lip and he gently pushed you behind him swiftly. "well, imma make sure this kid doesn't come back for real this time..." He spoke, then scowled and bared his teeth angrily as he undid the deadbolt, then snatching open the door, his left eye glowing a bright orange. His free arm instantly went out and held you back from danger's way. "okay ya dingus, who the heck do you think you ar–" He froze, causing your eyes to widen as you feared the worst. 

"WHO IS IT, PAPY?" Sans gasped and Maia shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "Papyrus, (Y\N), who the heck is it?!" Maia asked urgently. And as Papyrus just continued to stare blankly, you slowly bent to the side to see what was up. And when you finally could see the person unobstructed, your eyes locked with theirs. His familiar gray gaze blinked in confusion. 

"WHAT THE ABSOLUTE HELL, MR. SMITH?! DO YOU NOT HAVE A DAMN BRAIN?! YOU SHOULD VERY WELL KNOW YOU SHOULDN'T JUST SHOW UP AT MY DOOR AT 11:00 PM AFTER WHAT HAPPENED WITHOUT CALLING FIRST! I WAS NEARLY HAVING A PANIC ATTACK YOU ASSHOL-" You suddenly shouted angrily, your (e\c) eyes narrowing before Papyrus cut you off, covering your mouth with his hand. Sans gasped at the sudden profanity and Maia snorted, quickly falling onto the floor laughing. 

Mr. Smith shuffled on his feet awkwardly, his hand rubbing his neck. "I tried to call... But it went straight to voicemail both times I tried. He explained and you furrowed your eyebrows. You lifted your hand and used it to move Papyrus' hand from your mouth and then you smiled nervously. Anger still was present in your demeanor, but not as much. "Oh, right... My phone glitches like that sometimes." You spoke, clearing your throat embarrassedly. 

"I needed to get in touch with you and since I didn't expect Mr. Papyrus was going to be with you, I didn't think to call him." He explained and you cocked your head to the side. "Oh... Well, why did you need to get in contact?" You asked suddenly and he let out a sigh. "Mind if I step in for a second?" He asked and you shook your head, stepping back. "Not at all, come join us." You offered and Mr. Smith dipped his head respectively. "Thank you, ma'am." He replied before walking past Papyrus into the apartment. 

"HELLO AGAIN, SIR!" Sans spoke, waving to Mr. Smith and he waved back, but when his eyes met Maia's his own eyebrows furrowed. "Oh, if it isn't Maia the mischief-maker." He spoke crossing his arms and leaning on one hip. She smirked at this. "You remember me? I feel accomplished." Maia replied as Papyrus shut and secured the door again. "Of course. That was a brand new suit you ruined! How could I ever forget that?" He asked and you blinked in confusion. "Wait, Maia what did you do?" You asked, looking to her. 

Maia's grin widened with smugness and Mr. Smith rolled his eyes. "I may have poured my drink on him at a party once." She spoke, then broke into a giggling fit. "I was flirting with her friend and I don't think she liked that one bit." Mr. Smith commented, sighing and once Maia stopped laughing, she looked up to the tall man. "Well no shhh–poop Sherlock!" She started, but almost slipped up and once she realized her correction, she blushed in embarrassment before laughing again. 

But, what happened next was completely unexpected, Sans stood up from his chair and stomped one foot on the ground, completely fed up. But, by what? That's the thought that seemed to plague everyone's minds as they turned to him. 

"STOP CENSORING THINGS AROUND ME! I AM NOT A DAMN CHILD!" He spoke flatly and Papyrus choked, his voice becoming hoarse for one second. "bro, i thought—" He started, but Sans crossed his arms and tapped his foot on the ground. "I AM 20, PAPYRUS. I HAVE A JOB. THE WORKPLACE ISN'T ALWAYS KID FRIENDLY. I MAY DISLIKE SWEARING MORE THAN MOST, BUT I AM TIRED OF BEING SEEN SO INFERIOR!" He huffed and Maia's mouth dropped open. "Holy shit." She spoke and Sans whipped to face her. "THANK YOU!" He shouted, gesturing his hand in her direction in a 'finally!' sense. "Huh. Didn't see that coming." Mr. Smith spoke under his breath and you nodded in agreement. 

 

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sans! If I had known, I wouldn't have worried so much about possibly swearing in your presence." You quickly apologized, dipping your head gently. He sighed, then shook his head. "DON'T APOLOGIZE. I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU THREE WERE CAUTIOUS... I MEAN, LOOK AT ME. I SUPPOSE I'M VERY CHILDISH AND ALL..." He murmured, then Maia shook her head. "Childish? No! You're 100% man, Sans! You're just really quirky and I love that about your personality!" Maia complimented him and he blushed. "Y-YOU SURE?" He stuttered, looking down at his feet cutely. She smiled, nodding in response. "I'm absolutely positive, Sansy!" Maia replied, her green eyes bright. 

Sans blushed even more at her nickname for him, his cheeks turning a deep blue. But after covering his face bashfully for a few seconds, he suddenly stopped inhibiting his zeal and just run to Maia, pulling her into a big bear hug. Maia's face reddened at this action, but she gratefully hugged him back, squeezing him tightly. 

Papyrus nudged you as soon as he saw the hug, and once you turned to look at him, he pulled you into a similar hug with a wonderful grin. You got onto your tip-toes in response to this bone-crushing hug, completely beaming as you hugged him back merrily. 

"Damn, I'm forever alone, aren't I?" Mr. Smith spoke up amongst all the hugging, walking to the couch and taking a seat. Once all four had separated, Sans shook his skull. "NO! I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOMEONE OUT THERE." He reassured him. Mr. Smith pursed his lips, sighing before looking away. "Ah, yes. Thank you, sir. But it's not that I don't believe someone's out there for me. I'm just afraid the universe is adamant on keeping us apart." He spoke, running a hand through his hair gently. "PROBABLY." Sans replied causing you to gasp. "Sans!" You fussed and he furrowed his 'bone'brows. "OH, COME ON. I AM NOT THAT INCORRECT, (Y/N)! WITH THE WAY HE PREYS ON WOMEN, THE UNIVERSE IS PROBABLY WAITING FOR HIM TO IMPROVE SO HE CAN GET HIS ONE TRUE LOVE!" He exclaimed and Mr. Smith shrugged. "Perhaps, I suppose he is correct." Mr. Smith replied, giving Sans the benefit of the doubt. 

"anyway, didn't ya have stuff to tell us, 'smitty?" Papyrus asked as he walked to a chair, sitting down. "Ah, yes. You remembered at last. How lovely, Papyrus." Mr. Smith replied, clearing his throat and fixing his shirt. Sans sat down beside him quickly and Maia soon took the other free chair. That left no seats for you. And as you prepared to sit on the floor, Papyrus beckoned you over. "c'mere. just sit on my lap, (y\n). i promise it ain't that bony." Papyrus promised. Mr. Smith pulled a notebook from his pocket, flipping through it. "I certainly hope not, I do believe that'd just make it awkward for the rest of us." He spoke nonchalantly and Maia snorted, chuckling loudly in response. But, Sans didn't quite get it and cocked his head to the side in confusion. Perhaps, he's not as mature as he thinks he is, or maybe he just doesn't get dirty jokes. 

 

With hesitation and much embarrassment, you sat on his lap lightly. A part of you was concerned you'd hurt his skeletal structure if you put all your weight on him, so you didn't. But, of course the clever skeleton noticed this and put his hands on your torso, sliding you further onto his lap. And at this, your face heated up and you stared wide-eyed at Maia who once again broke into a laughing fit. "ya think i can't handle a single person on my lap? well, i assure you i've gone through much worse. i would say this is actually quite nice... with asgore, it was not." Papyrus commented and you giggled lightly. "He's thicc." You replied and Papyrus nodded, grinning as he laid his head onto your shoulder. "eeyup, he is a thicc boyo." Papyrus replied and both you and Maia laughed. 

After the laughter had subsided, you turned to face Mr. Smith. "Anyways, sorry about that. What did you need to tell us, Mr. Smith?" You asked, trying to relax in Papyrus' strange embrace. Mr. Smith put the notepad he held in his hands onto his thigh, clicking his tongue and sighing. "I am here because Austin was spotted in the area. A witness reported it around 10:20 PM and we were concerned he may be up to some revenge scheme." He began to explain, causing you to bite the inside of your cheeks gently. 

"that ain't good." Papyrus rasped, moving his head from your shoulder. "No, it certainly is not. So, I contacted your landlord, explained you were in danger and I got the key to the complex and came up to tell you. Two policemen are watching both entrances to make sure you guys stay safe."

"WELL, IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO KEEP HER SAFE? NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT HAPPENED, BUT THIS SEEMS VERY BAD!" Sans exclaimed and Maia nodded. "Yeah, can we do anything at all?" Maia asked and Mr. Smith nodded. "Yes, but it's what you all likely expect me to say. Stay with her. At least until he seems to have left the area." He replied. "WELL, WE CAN DO THAT!" Sans chirped with a wide smile. "Slumber party time!" Maia shouted excitedly and Mr. Smith jumped slightly at the sudden yell. "eyyyy, that'll be fun!" Papyrus grinned, pulling you a bit closer in his lap. "Squad goals!" You joked through the 'lap awkwardness'. 

"You four enjoy that tonight, and stay safe. If things escalate, call me and we'll have you moved to a safehouse. We don't want to risk your safety any more than it already has been." Mr. Smith commented as he stood up and Papyrus nodded his skull. "agreed, bucko." He replied. 

Sans' blue irises scanned the room in thought, his 'bone'brows furrowing as he contemplated something. "WELL, MR. SMITH. THIS MAY SEEM LIKE AN ODD OFFER, BUT YOU'RE WELCOME IF YOU'D LIKE TO STAY WITH US TONIGHT!" He chirped and Papyrus whipped his skull around to face his little brother. His countenance portraying shock that his brother offered Mr. Smith the chance to stay. Mr. Smith, and Maia both looked equally as shocked, and well, you too of course.

"Really?" He spoke in surprise, his gray gaze filled with confusion and disbelief. And, Sans being the friendly guy he is nodded. "OF COURSE! ANY TIME, ISN'T THAT RIGHT, GUYS?" He spoke sweetly, the irises in his eye sockets twinkling. Mr. Smith blinked a few times, then cocked his head to the side. "Why would you–" He began, but Sans cut him off. "BECAUSE, YOU SEEM LIKE YOU NEED SOME FRIENDLINESS IN YOUR LIFE! ONE NIGHT OF PLAYFULNESS WON'T DO YOU BAD!" Sans explained, holding his arms in front of himself as he looked up to meet the tall man's gaze. "Well, he's not wrong, Noah. And you're definitely welcome if you'd like to stay." You spoke to him with a gentle smile, causing him to look to you, his hand moving to his chest. "Oh—" He seemed to get caught on his words, his body language conveying a sudden feeling of gaiety. And well, a smile formed on his lips, not just a sleazy smirk, but a true and honest smile you haven't seen too much of before. 

"uh, yeah. you're welcome at our place too if you ever just want someone to chill with." Papyrus said hesitantly before scratching his cervical vertebrae. "I'd offer you to do the same at my place, but I live in California." Maia explained, then smiled, leaning forward in her chair and propping her head up on her palm. 

"Oh, oh man... Uh, thank you all very much." He spoke, his voice wavering slightly with emotion. And, another fact that surprised you was you could see slight tears in the corners of Mr. Smith's eyes. Something so simple really seemed to move the confusing man. "It's no problem, Noah." You replied and everyone echoed a similar thing to your comment in response to his thanks. 

"WELL, WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE, MR. SMITH? WILL YOU JOIN OUR SLUMBER PARTY?" Sans looked to him hopefully and Smith rubbed the back of his neck gently. "It's a lovely offer and all, but I must get home." He spoke before he dipped his head. "My son sometimes doesn't like truthfully going to bed without me tucking him in and saying goodnight." He explained with that honest and kind smile. 

"YOU HAVE A SON?!" Sans spoke in surprise and he nodded. "Yep, and I love him dearly. He just recently turned 7, he's really grown up so fast!" He exclaimed, very much showing his 'proud father' side. "OH, WOW! WELL, YOU SHOULD GO HOME AND TELL HIM GOODNIGHT THEN! IF MY BEDTIME WAS HOURS AGO, SO WAS HIS. MWEH HEH HEH!" Sans laughed. Mr. Smith laughed as well, nodding. "Yes, yes. You're very right about that. Thank you, guys." He started, thinking for a moment. "You all brightened my night and I cannot thank you enough for that." He finished, dipping his head again respectively. "There's no need to thank us, Mr. Smith!" Maia replied, standing up. 

Thinking for a moment, you hopped up out of Papyrus' lap and ran to Mr. Smith, pulling him into a hug. "I'm glad we could make you happy, Noah. Thank you so much for what you've been doing for the case. You're a wonderful man, even if you don't seem like it at first." You spoke to him and he gently hugged you back. "Ah, thank you so much, (Y\N). I really appreciate it. And truly, there's no need to thank me. It's been my honor." He responded before gently pulling away. Sans seemed to be next in line, for as soon as you were out of the way, he sprang up and ran to Mr. Smith, hugging him too. That definitely took him off guard, but he hugged him back anyways. 

As soon as Sans had separated from Mr. Smith, Papyrus got up and let out a grunt at the sudden movement lazily. But once he stretched out, he walked to Mr. Smith and gave him a fist bump. "have a safe trip home, buddo." He rasped, stepping away. And next came Maia, her long blonde hair bobbing up and down as she walked to him, and once again taking him by surprise, she pulled him into a hug, her head against his chest very faintly. "Sorry for ruining your suit, Mr. Smith. Well, I don't regret it, but I'm sorry. Anyway, have a nice trip home and good luck with your son!" She told him before stepping back, beaming. "I forgive you, and very much understand why you did it. I definitely was out of hand." He admitted, shuffling on his feet awkwardly. 

"Hey, when you get home, tell Noah Jr. his 'sugar mama' says hello." You joked, going back to the second time you had seen Mr. Smith. He grinned, then chuckled heartily. "Oh, dear. He did ask you to be that, didn't he?" He spoke with humor in his eyes. "I'll be sure to tell him." He added, nodding his head. "Alright, thank you. Be safe!" You told him and he nodded. "Same to you all! Adiós!" Mr Smith replied, walking to the door and opening it. "Bye!" Everyone spoke in unision, waving to him goodbye. And as soon as he waved back, he dipped his head and walked out of the small apartment, closing the door behind him. 

And with Mr. Smith's departure begins a new chapter in tonight's fun, a slumber party. Shouldn't that be quite riveting? After all, you haven't had a proper slumber party in a very long time, so you look forward to the shenanigans that this'll create.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof! I'm back at last. I pushed so hard to get this chapter out tonight, so I really hope you guys like it. Especially since I have conflicted feelings over it. But, hey it's almost 4:00 AM, I may be overly anxious lol. 
> 
> It's been really weird and hard recently for me, but I was able to update both my main stories which I'm very grateful for! Thank you guys for reading my stuff and for staying patient. I really appreciate it!  
> 
> This is a quick A/N, so imma say what I gotta say pretty fast. Anyways, happy belated Happy Holidays! And, Happy New Year as well! It's hard to fathom that it's already 2019! I hope you guys have been having a great year so far! 
> 
> My question of this update is... What's your favorite song currently? Post the name and artist down below. I'm actually quite curious to see what people will say! I think my top two at the moment are "Mr. Fear" by SIAMÉS and "Don't F**k With My Money" by Mystery Skulls! The former is a song I really relate to and it's helped me through a lot, and the latter is just a groovy song that I will always dance to XD (the video is also horrifyingly hilarious) 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I had a pretty fun experience writing it! Thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate it! Your continued support really means so much to me and I value every comment. Thank you guys! Have a good day\night! 


	43. "Night Owls"

As soon as the door had shut completely and you heard Mr. Smith's loafers click against the old creaky steps, you spun around, looking at your three friends. "Well, let's make the best out of this unfortunate situation. I have work tomorrow at 10:00 AM, but I can stay up a bit longer." You spoke, smiling. Sans nodded in agreement to this, "I HAVE WORK TOMORROW TOO, BUT I DON'T GO IN UNTIL AROUND 12:00 SO I'LL BE FINE TOO! PAPY?" Sans replied, turning his head to face his older brother. You did as well and what caught you off guard was Papyrus was spaced out, staring straight at you. 

You furrowed your eyebrows, and Sans crossed his arms. "PAPYRUS." He spoke bluntly and Papyrus jumped, a blush soon following. "nyeh? what is it, bro?" Papyrus asked, rubbing the top of his skull awkwardly and Sans leaned on one hip. "ARE YOU AN ASTRONAUT, BROTHER?" Sans asked and Papyrus blinked in confusion. "wha?" He spoke, puzzlement displayed on his face. "WELL, YOU SURE ARE SPACING OUT." Sans spoke and Maia soon developed a shit-eating grin, then eagerly gave Sans a high-five, laughing. You of course also laughed at Sans' joke, taking note of how proud he looked. And when you looked to see Papyrus, you saw him chuckling too. "oh, gee. yeah, bro. you can ask me what you were gonna earlier." Papyrus spoke and Sans nodded. "I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE WORK SITUATION TOMORROW (Y\N) HAS WORK AT 10:00 AND I DO AT 12:00. HOW'S YOUR SCHEDULE?" Sans explained, then promptly asked, shifting his weight again. 

Papyrus seemed to think for a long time, humming to himself softly. "i don't go in until around 12:00 as well, but i'll walk (y\n) to work and stay at muffet's for a bit." He responded and Sans nodded. "ALRIGHT, THEN WE DO HAVE A BIT TO HAVE SLEEPOVER FUN!" Sans spoke giddily, the stars in his eye sockets twinkling. "How fun! I already have an idea too!" Maia grinned from ear to ear and this peaked Sans' curiosity. "OH? WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN MIND, MAIA?" He asked curiously.

Maia rubbed her hands together, grinning. Once her hands stopped moving, she clapped them together. "Okay," She began, her eyes scanning the room. "in sleepovers everyone sleeps in the same room, right?" She asked and everyone nodded. "Yeah, why?" You asked, furrowing your eyebrows and cocking your head to the side. "Because I was thinking you and Papyrus can take the couch and Sans and I can—" She paused for dramatic effect, looking around to build up the anticipation. "CAN? CAN WHAT? I'M DYING HERE, MAIA!" Sans complained, leaning forward slightly. Maia grinned at holding the idea seemingly above everyone's heads, then she backed down suddenly, realizing it was the perfect time to talk about her sublime plan. "BUILD A PILLOW FORT!" She squeaked excitedly and Sans' brilliant blue irises suddenly had a multitude of stars exploding within them as he clapped his small skeletal hands together excitedly. "YES, YES, YES! MAIA YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE GENIUS! " He exclaimed, running forward and pulling her into a big hug. 

"eyy, that's a dope idea. i like it, plus, her couch is hella comfortable." Papyrus chuckled, then tapped a phalange on his chin as he watched the two hug. "Aw, thanks. It was here when I bought this place, to be honest. So, who knows how many people have sweat on that thing." You giggled and he smirked, turning to you. "hey, i think it adds to its charm!" He snorted and you laughed in response. 

Sans and Maia separated, then he grabbed her hand. "LET'S GO SEARCH IN EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY FOR BLANKETS AND PILLOWS GALORE!" He spoke enthusiastically before pulling her along into your bedroom. "There are a couple extra pillows in my closet if you need them! And don't forget to leave us some!" You called after him, but only got a simple "OKAY!" from Sans in response. 

Papyrus chuckled, then reached into his pants pocket, pulling out a toothpick, placing it into his mouth swiftly. You let out a "hm" at this which caused him to look back down at you. "nyeh? what is it, kiddo?" He questioned as he began to chew in the toothpick. "It's just... I haven't noticed you smoking, or chewing on toothpicks as much recently." You spoke and he paused, his gaze looking toward the ceiling as he thought back. "huh, i guess i have gotten a bit better? maybe i'm just too distracted when I'm with you, huh?" He spoke and you shrugged your shoulders. "i mean, ya know, a stronger addiction can make one much smaller, and as i've said, i've become addicted to ya. i guess that's kinda numbed the other when i'm in your presence, honey." He theorized. You giggled, then placed a hand on your cheek. "Oh, geez. You're way too nice." You responded, looking away bashfully and he grinned at this. 

"Mmm, well, you know... If you're so addicted to me, why don't you dance with me?" You suggested as you turned back to him with a charming smile. He seemed taken aback by this, leaning his cranium back. "w-what?" He rasped, his voice having tiny little breaks within it. "You know, a slow dance." You spoke, walking to the coffee table and picking up your phone. "You good with that? Mmm? Or, are you too scared?" You teased, your smile morphing into a grin. "pfft, me? scared? nah, nah. get your butt over here." He suddenly spoke, shifting on his feet gently before he plucked the toothpick from his teeth, sliding it back into his pocket with rapid and nervous movements. "Ah, how lovely! Just give me one moment." You smiled again, your heart finally starting to pound after what you're trying to do sank in. 

And not wanting to back down, you quickly typed in Michael Bublé's cover of "You And I" into YouTube, pressing on the first video. Afterwards, you turned the volume up higher, setting it back down before walking back to Papyrus. He didn't seem to know exactly what to do, so you took one of his skeletal hands, placing it on your back, then took his other hand and clasped it with yours off to the side. Then, with the final proper placement, you put your other hand on his shoulder. And with that, and since he still wasn't sure what to do, you began to lead him into the dance. You both swayed side to side, eventually Papyrus caught on and took the lead. 

Within the dance was a few gentle glances, a smile present on both of your blushing faces. And as it continued on, it was like everything else disappeared momentarily. Almost if you and Papyrus were in your own separate realm. The only things that were observed were the shared quick glances deep into each other's souls, and the sound of the music playing in the background. Michael's voice helped lead the constantly changing footsteps and once the song ended, you moved in and clung to Papyrus tightly. During the almost four complete minutes of dancing with your crush, you had never wanted it to end. But, now that the song was over, you both shared sighs as he hugged you back, wrapping his arms around you in a warm embrace. 

 

No words were spoken for quite a few moments, it seemed you both stood still and just processed the moment. Your heart started to grow weary though, its thudding in your chest only reminding you more and more of how in love you truly are. Perhaps it's trying to cheer you on to muster up the courage to tell Papyrus that you love him. But, as your lips part, no words come out. You're stuck at a lack of words in such a pivotal moment in your relationship. Perhaps that's a sign that waiting is the best option for the present moment. But what if it's not? Hundreds of thoughts swirl around in your mind, and you just cling onto Papyrus more, just hoping he'll help them go away, but as he squeezes you back tighter, they don't stop. So, you just squeeze your eyes shut and try to block them out. 

 

"This is cute, isn't it, Sans?" Maia suddenly spoke which caused you and Papyrus to separate rapidly in embarrassment of being caught in such an intimate time. "YES! IT DEFINITELY IS!" Sans remarked with a bright smile and a gleam in his iris. "oh, gee... uhhh..." Papyrus began to stammer, kinda stuck as you had been before. "Did you two find the pillows?" You quickly changed the conversation in order to spare the both of you much more uneasiness. "OH! YES. WE FOUND THEM AROUND 6 MINUTES AGO, WE'VE BEEN STANDING HERE EVER SINCE!" Sans replied and you just smiled nervously. Your topic change hadn't done all too much, had it? 

At least the two held all the necessary pillows in their arms. Hell, Sans was just about holding a stack taller than himself. And on top of that, Maia had two more and several of your trusty blankets. Ranging from one with chibi hedgehogs on it, to a plain fluffy (f\c) one. But, to be honest, you hope that Maia will allow you to steal that Hedgehog blanket for you and Papyrus. It'd definitely be cute to cuddle together in. 

After realizing what you'd just thought, you blushed in embarrassment. "Uh, can we use the hedgeh-hog blanket?" You questioned, crossing your feet and leaning primarily on one hip. "Oh? I'll let you use it if y-" Maia began with a sneaky smirk, and you lifted a single eyebrow. "But it's my blanket." You pointed out and she held it closer to herself. "Oh? It is? Oh, man. I'll let you guys use it if you let me use the fawn blanket." She tried to bargain and you bit your lip, processing her trade proposition. "Fine, but keep in mind Dusty gave that to me before I moved out here." You replied and she grinned from ear to ear, running toward an open area in the floorspace, dropping her stuff before dashing past everyone back into your room. "sanic, gotta go fast." Papyrus snickered and you shook your head, laughing at his joke. But, Sans just blinked, confused. But, he didn't ask, so you didn't explain. 

"WHO'S DUSTY?" He suddenly asked before turning around, walking to where Maia had dropped her things, setting the pillows down. "Oh? Dusty? Well, he was a highschool friend of ours!" You replied, smiling. Sans turned around to face you again and placed a hand against his hip as he listened. "He was a wonderful fellow, but I fell out of contact with him after he moved away." You responded. "WHAT ABOUT MAIA?" Sans asked and you furrowed your eyebrows. "Uhm, I'm not sure? You'll have to ask her that question, bud." You replied. "OH, OKAY. I CAN DO THAT! ER—WHAT DID HE LOOK LIKE?" He once again questioned and you held back a laugh, realizing he may be getting jealous. 

"Oh, just a normal guy. Brown eyes, lighter brown hair, around 5'8". Now, he had an amazing personality too, definitely the class clown, and, on top of that he was an honors student and played football." You explained and Sans nodded slowly. "ALRIGHT... THANK YOU." He suddenly thanked you, and you smiled, nodding. 

"Oh, Dusty McEntire? Yeah! We still talk, he's really cool! Still the same old guy, but apparently he works as a firefighter now. Who would've thought!" Maia replied as she walked back in, the fawn blanket being cradled in her arms protectively. It's tan, dotted with white spots just like a fawn’s fur coat and it's as soft as silk. No wonder Maia was so intent on using it, it is definitely the coziest blanket you own. But the hedgehog blanket is the cutest, so you win in the trade as well.

"OH? WELL... YOU KNOW, I AM A ROYAL GUARDSMAN!" Sans exclaimed, puffing out his chest confidently and you smirked, then walked to Maia's pile of pillows, getting your blanket before making a bee-line back to the couch. And, of course you sat down and instantly got all snuggled up with the blanket. And seemingly taking this as a sign that he should sit too, Papyrus quickly walked your way and joined you underneath the cozy warmth that the blanket provided.

"Oh yeah! That's hella cool, Sans! I remember seeing your shirt. So, for how how long have you been one?" Maia asked and Sans froze, his smile turning into one of nervousness and suddenly sweat began to drip from his skull. "S-SHORTLY OVER S-SIX MONTHS." He stuttered and Papyrus let out a small snort. "Oh, so you're rather ne—wait. Sans, haven't you been aboveground for 6 months?" Maia questioned, her eyebrows furrowing. "YES." He replied nervously, his body compressing onto itself in shame. Almost as if his body was hunkering down in protest over what he had said in the first place. "So, you became a royal guardsman after you came aboveground? Wait, didn't your shirt say 'future royal guardsman'?" Maia questioned, tapping one foot on the ground. "UHHHH—YES, WELL, I MEAN, IT'S AN OLDER SHIRT! I WASN'T LYING, I—I" Sans just started to sputter in a panic, and Papyrus leaned his chin on his hand, sighing. "he is a member, maia. he trained diligently for a couple years, but didn't finish his training by the time chara bust us out. so, in honor of his persistent hard work, soon after we started settling in, queen toriel and alphys swore him in." Papyrus explained in order to clean up this growing mess. "Oh! Okay that makes sense!' Maia replied, smiling again and relaxing.

"YEAH! EVER SINCE I WAS SWORN IN, I'VE BEEN HELPING OUT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GUARD WATCH THE UNDERGROUND FOR VANDALS." Sans explained and you cocked your head to the side. "Really? has that been an issue?" You asked and Sans nodded. "YES. PEOPLE CANNOT LET THINGS EXIST WITHOUT LEAVING THEIR MARKS APPARENTLY." He replied, a tinge of sadness in his tone. "alph told me that a group of renegades try their best to sneak in and defile the places which once meant the world to us." Papyrus responded, then clicked his tongue. "Oh, God. That's terrible!" You exclaimed and Papyrus nodded. "I STILL DON'T REALLY GET WHY MOST HUMANS DON'T ACCEPT US, BROTHER." Sans remarked and Papyrus nodded. "me either, bro. i just hope they soon learn that we're just like them." He replied. 

"YEAH. THAT'S ONE THING THAT MAKES YOU GIRLS SO MAGICAL! YOU'RE SO SUPPORTIVE, AMAZING, AND KIND...TO OUR KIND! AND TO OTHERS AS WELL!" Sans replied with a wide smile, then walked closer to Maia, taking her hand in his before walking to the pile of pillows and blankets. She followed beside him, smiling as well. "Well, I'm just happy to help you guys feel welcome! After all, monsters belong up here too. No matter what the haters will say!" Maia exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air and you clapped. "Amen, sister! Those protesters have such twisted tongues that misinform weary humans about the monster race. It's absolutely sickening how they recruit others to try and push you back into the place that they're also trying to destroy." You spoke and everyone nodded. "YES, I AGREE! NOW, MAIA. LET'S EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY OF BUILDING THIS FORT TOGETHER! WE SHALL MAKE SURE THE WALLS WILL BE STRONG–" "well, as strong as a pillow fort can be." Papyrus interrupted and Sans shot him a stink-eye before continuing his sentence. "AS THEY CAN BE." "Sounds like a plan, Stan!" Maia giggled, and with glee, the pair began to work on the pillow fort together. 

\---------------------------------------------

After a good 30 minutes 'perfecting' their pillow fort, Maia and Sans finally finished. And well, the only reason it really took so long is because the pair kept engaging in pillow fights and candid conversations. But, all that matters is that they had fun. Which you and Papyrus both could definitely tell. But, you and Papy really did nothing but talk and watch the pair beside you struggle to make a giant pillow fort. But the conversations you did have were extremely entertaining and helped you both get to know each others past selves better. In fact, apparently Papyrus only ate straight "Floe Flakes" for a year when he was younger, and he says because of that his HP is pretty low. You aren't sure if that was a joke or not though, I mean, you aren't entirely sure what "Floe Flakes" are either. But, you assume they're like a breakfast cereal. 

But, anyway, moving on from that, when Sans and Maia were almost done with their majestic fort, Papyrus decided to run home and get their stuff for bed. Of course. He promised to be safe and to use one of his 'shortcuts', so you waved goodbye and he left for a little while—or so you thought at least. No more than 12 minutes passed before he walked back in with two bags of stuff, dressed in his pajamas. Now, you had taken the time to change too. You sat on the couch, teeth brushed and ready for bed with your favorite pair of pajamas on when he strolled back through the front door. And, as embarrassing as it is to admit, you picked your best pair of pajamas to make sure you looked as cute as possible. They were a nice mix between the seasons, having long pants and a short sleeve shirt. Perhaps if your upper half gets cold, you'll score some snuggles? Well, who knows. 

The pajamas are black with stars of multiple sizes scattered across them. The pants have a white lining on the legs and they are a bit long and lightly brush against the floor when you walk, and the shirt is quite unique. It's a short sleeve button up top with white lining on the sleeves, collar, opening and pocket. But, the pattern remains the same throughout the set. Now the neckline is v-neck one, but it does not open too far, so you don't have to worry about any possible spillage during the night. 

Papyrus' are more 'Papyrus' though... Figuratively and literally. He's dressed in a Jack Skellington onesie and you grin widely at the sight of it. He fully committed too, for he even put on the hood before walking in. "Oh, that's humerus!" You joked before laughing gently. When Maia looked over to see him, she burst out laughing. "Oh my God, I love it!" She wheezed and you nodded rapidly. "Me too! It's perfect!" You exclaimed and Papyrus chuckled walking in the rest of the way, closing and locking the door behind himself. Then, he dropped the bags onto the floor. "ey, thanks, kiddos." He snorted before walking back your way. But, he paused and scanned you up and down, observing your pajamas carefully. This made you cock your head to the side, and your discomfiture is likely visible to everybody looking your way. 

"Papyrus, uh, what are you doing?" You questioned, a blush rising to your cheeks and he let out a long, dragged out hum. "oh, ya know, i'm just stargazing. that's all." He snickered, causing you to roll your eyes, then laugh. "Oh, that was cheesy." You spoke between laughs and he shrugged, his skull's movements causing his hood to fall off. "nah, i don't think so. but fo real, ya look great, (y/n)! you're even prettier than a real star." He complimented you and you blushed, rubbing the back of your neck. "Aw, gee. Thank you, Paps! And you look even handsomer than the real th-" you froze once you realized what you were saying and blushed a bit more, giggling. Papyrus beamed at this, then continued his stride, flopping back onto the couch next to you, wrapping his arm around you before pulling you closer. 

"why ya laughin', kid? jack skellington is pree hot, don't cha know?" He snorted, then laughed at his own words and you joined him. "Of course he is! But, I dare say you're more attractive than him, Papy dear." You replied and he placed his other hand on top of his chest. "that's so sweet! thank you! i will treasure that compliment, my star." He spoke playfully, and you smiled brightly, your (e\c) eyes as vibrant as ever. "We should probably be settling down, Jack." You spoke after a short pause and he nodded. "yeah, prob so." He responded. "welp, i'm all ready for some shut eye. brushed my teeth 'n' everything." He added and you high-fived him. "Me too! Yay for good-breath buddies!" You joked and he smirked. "you bet cha!' He cracked in response. 

And after Maia and Sans got ready in their own pajamas, everyone settled down for the night. Maia and Sans were fast asleep beside each other in their pillow fort, and almost as fast as the drop of a hat while in each others arms on the couch, you and Papyrus fell asleep too. And as you wait subconsciously for your alarm to go off at 8:40 AM, you hope the time in your slumber passes by slowly because you're not ready to give a precious moment like this up quite yet. So, as you snuggle closer to Papyrus in your sleep, you cling onto time as best as you can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who! Yeah, it's me. Pffft. I replied again, and it's once again super late, so honestly, rip my sleep schedule, but I had fun! 
> 
> I'll make this one really fast, but fun fact: This chapter brings BoC's overall word count to over 100,000! That's definitely quite the interesting milestone! Especially since I keep accidentally writing really long chapters. My normal wordcount I aim to is between 1,600 - 2,500 words and today I had over like... 3,500 words? That's a lot for this Lil' ole fanfic.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like this faster published than usual chapter! I had lots of fun writing it! Especially the dance scene! Oh, man. I love writing the romance-y fluff! Definitely my favorite thing to write lol. Sorry that the story hasn't been super eventful recently! I wanted this chapter to be shorter and end in the morning, but if you cannot tell, that did not happen. The next chapter will be more eventful, and less "imma get to know you", though both will probably still coincide because it's necessary for character developments and stuff. 
> 
> Anyways, I'm a total chocoholic and ate way too much chocolate while writing this story today, so my question for this week is, what's your favorite kind of chocolate \ favorite chocolate bar? And if you can't eat\don't like chocolates, comment another treat that you like instead. Personally, my favorite chocolate bar is by Chocolove and its flavor is "Dark Chocolate Chilies and Cherries". It's so good! 
> 
> Anyway, thank you guys so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! Have a wonderful day/night! <3


	44. "Dreams and Disasters"

The hours tick by as you sleep in Papyrus' arms. Friendly dreams occupying your mind, causing you to feel at peace. But, all good things must come to an end—soon things take a turn. You enter yet another dream, one that seems normal at first. You and Papyrus are walking together in Ebott City Park. But your mind is screaming, and screaming to confess your hidden feelings at last. 

So, after pondering what you'll say, you turned to him and stopped walking. "Papyrus, I have been meaning to tell you this for a long time. I—" You paused, and he stopped, glancing over. His 'bone'brows furrowed in confusion. "you've been meanin' to tell me what, kid?" He asked, leaning on one hip and taking a cigarette from his pocket. He quickly lit it with his lighter, then stuck it between his teeth gingerly.

You paused for a second and gathered all of your courage, then took a deep breath. "Papyrus, I like you. Every day, I fall more, and more in love with you." You confessed and his jaws fell open. He nearly dropped his cigarette onto the grass, but he promptly caught it, then placed it back into his mouth, then blew out a puff of smoke. "oh, yeah?" He questioned, his facial expression only showing nonchalance and a form of... Detestation? 

Papyrus met your gaze head on as he took another puff of his cigarette in, then out before dropping it onto the sand. Then, he stomped on the butt with his red Converse. "well, did ya think i was gonna like ya back? especially after what you did?" He spoke flatly and your heart dropped out of your chest, then you began to tremble. "What?" You asked, your eyes filled with confusion. 

"ya brainless humans are so stupid. i hardly like associating with a gal who attended monster protests. i know deep inside, ya hate me, bucko. you've been conspiring against us, ey?" He asked as he peered down at you. His gaze intense and striking as he stared through you. It hurt, not only his words, but the way he's looking at you as well. "No! I'd never-I regret doing all that shit, you know that!" You spoke in response, your voice wavering with emotion. 

Papyrus took a step forward and grabbed your arm, yanking you closer with force. Then, an orange aura surrounded you as he lifted you to face him. A scowl was present on his skull as he looked at you unblinkingly. The abhorrence only growing more and more with every second. "that's not what maia told me. she told me all your dirty secrets, you bastard!" Papyrus hissed and your heart thudded in your chest. "i never knew you could be such a traitor. those two girls, you know, grace and audrey? they backed up the story." He continued on, then, he dropped you in midair and you fell onto the grass on your knees. You looked back up at him, holding out your hand as tears began to form in your eyes. "None of it's true, Papy I lo-" He cut you off, turning to the side before speaking brusquely. "don't you dare call me 'papy' again. stay away from sans and my friends. especially sans. he deserves to know much better people." He spoke, his voice filled to the brim with venom and you looked down as he began to turn and walk away. 

But halfway away, he turned back to you and uttered these last sentences. "i never want to see you again, either. i see or hear you've been around and i swear i'll kill your sorry ass." He hissed, and you fell onto your hands, overcome with grief. He scoffed at this, cackling. "oh, you're such a crybaby. grow up, you ass, and live up to your mistakes. goodbye, (y\n). i hope to never see you again." He growled before turning back and disappearing into thin air.

And, that's it. Your eyes snapped open, only to see you're still in Papyrus' arms. Problem is, you've begun crying already and the tears just continue to intensify. So, you sniffle and pull away from him quickly. And as soon as you do that, he wakes up and looks to you with concern in his pinpricks. "(y\n)? everything okay?" He asked, and you just turned away, sniffling. "Yeah... I'm fine, go back to bed." You murmured, pulling your knees up to your chest. "kid, you're cryin'... it doesn't seem like you're 'fine'." He replied, reaching over and placing a hand on your shoulder. But, due to your dream making you paranoid that Papyrus truly hates you, you freaked out at this simple gesture and scooted away a smidge, making his hand fall onto the couch cushion. 

He fell silent, then sighed deeply. In this awkward moment, you took time to look over to Maia and Sans' pillow fort. The two sleeping forms were pressed against each other peacefully. And the longer you looked at them from the small opening of their creation, you grew more and more jealous that they ended up having more of a tranquil night than you. 

"(y\n)." Papyrus spoke quietly, making you snap back into reality. But, you didn't look to him. You just looked to the window, seeing the morning light pour in. At the sudden change of light, your pupils shrunk and you blinked your eyes at the sudden pain. So, you whipped your face to the wall instead to avoid the unfortunate ache. 

"did you have a dream about austin?" Papyrus suddenly asked and you swallowed hard, biting your lip. But, you knew you couldn't talk about your dream with him. That'd be one hell of a way to tell him you love him. So, you lied and nodded your head slowly. In sympathy, he moved closer again and put his arm around you comfortingly. "hey, hey..." He spoke soothingly. "everything will be good, kid. that jackass won't be able to even get close to you. we'll make sure to keep you safe, honey." He spoke softly. You lowered your head at first, but you couldn't help but smile at his warm nickname for you. "Thank you, P-Papyrus..." You spoke, sniffing as you wiped your nose with your wrist gently. 

Did you feel a tad bit better? Well, yes. But, the doubts still infect your mind. That's what dreams like this do, right? Takes a person you love and respect, and makes you wonder if they really think the same of you. Why did he give you a chance after seeing you at the monster protest? That thought had left your mind for a good while, but now, you can't get it to go away again. Well, at least after this, perhaps you an Papyrus can snooze again. 

Rapid beeping soon filled the air and you groaned. You hate when you wake up before your alarm goes off, but, not wanting to wake anyone else, you swiftly reach over and turn off the alarm on your phone, yawning. "feelin' better?" Papyrus asked you and you slowly nodded before standing up. "Yeah, a bit... It'll take a while longer for me to get over that though. Dreams can really suck sometimes." You spoke and he nodded. "dreams, and sleep paralysis both can be so frickin' scary. er—did ya wanna talk about your dream, by the way?" He asked as you stood up, turning toward him and lowkey admiring his handsome features. But, you didn't get too carried away, in fact you made sure you replied so he wouldn't know you're totally checking him out. "No, it's... It's not that different from the others." You responded, directing your gaze back to his pinpricks. Uncomfortably, you rubbed your arm, glancing to the side and he nodded. "ah, got cha. well, if ya change your mind, just lemme know and i'll be happy to listen." Dammit, he's too nice. There's no way he actually hates you, what are you thinking? Same with how Maia would never say such bullshit about you. It's just not how they really are. 

"Thank you again, Papy... I cannot thank you enough." You responded, then smiled warmly and that made his signature grin appear on his own skull. "my pleasure, kiddo. now, you should go get ready so we can eat before you need to work." He spoke and you raised an eyebrow. "Ooh~ didn't know that was the plan, but I'm not arguing. I'll go shower. Thank you, Pap! You're the best!" You told him sweetly before running to him, pulling him into a hug. "my pleasure, (y\n). ya deserve it!" He replied, smiling as he hugged you back. And, as soon as you parted, you rushed to the shower to get ready for the workday ahead of you. Hopefully your shower thoughts won't pull you any further into the possibility of an existential crisis. 

\---------------------------------------------

As soon as you pulled your look together for the day, you stepped out from your room to see Papyrus had gotten changed as well. Not only that, but Sans had gotten up and was drinking a glass of water. "GOOD MORNING, (Y\N). PLEASE BE CAREFUL TO NOT WAKE MAIA. SHE LOOKS SO CONTENT SLEEPING!" He spoke, still in his normal tone... But it was obvious it was a bit quieter so he wouldn't wake her. 

"Got cha, boss! Morning, Sans!" You told him, making sure to be quiet. He smiled at you, and waved his small hand rapidly. "GOOD MORNING!" He chirped and you returned his blissful grin, turning to Papyrus. 

He was dressed in his normal outfit. Definitely not a breath of fresh air like last night's look was, but still handsome as ever. His orange hoodie is a classic at this point, no wonder he wears it so much. And, hell if it's soft on the outside, it must be even more luxurious on the inside. Perhaps one day you'll get the chance to try it on, but, you highly doubt it at this point. Especially with the dream you had last night. 

Unlike a certain carrot of a skeleton, you decided to dress in something slightly cute for him, but still very appropriate for work at Muffet's. So, you ended up choosing black leggings, your plaid black, white, and purple button up shirt with a plain black tee underneath. And with that, you complemented your outfit with your favorite shoes since you'd be wearing Heelys at work anyway. But, other than your outfit, you didn't change much else. He seemed like he didn't mind though, after all, he's grinning at your shirt. 

"damn, you're gonna fit right in. your shirt totes looks like muffet's." Papyrus remarked, then laughed and you soon followed it. "Oh, man. It does! How absolutely wild." You replied with a snicker before you both exchanged a fist-bump. 

"well, we gotta run now if we want time to ourselves. i want a bagel, after all." Papyrus remarked and you nodded. "Got ya. Oh, Sans will you tell Maia I said good morning? And, your welcome to eat anything I have in the house!" You started, then paused. "Just... Check the date first. It'd be very wise." You added and he nodded, smiling again. "THANK YOU, AND I WILL! YOU TWO HAVE FUN!" Sans chirped and waved, and you both did the same as you walked to the door. You grabbed your bag off the table near the door, then Papyrus turned the handle and opened it. "sans, will ya get my stuff for me?" He asked, turning around and Sans nodded. "YES! OF COURSE!" "ah, thanks, bro. i appreciate it." He thanked him before waving once more, taking a hold of your hand before leading you outside, closing the door before making his way down the stairs with you beside him. 

"let's walk past the police so they know you're leaving home, then how about i take one of my famous 'shortcuts' to muffet's, ey?" Papyrus suggested and you thought over his words for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah that's a good idea, actually! Let's do it." You responded and he smiled as you both continued down the flights of stairs. 

Once you both reached the bottom of the complex, you jogged to the door, opening it and holding it open for Papyrus. "Ladies first~" You purred, and he snorted, making his voice higher before replying "oh, thank you, my dear!" in a pretty bad feminine voice. That made you giggle and he walked through the door, you trailing behind him quickly. 

You looked amongst the cars and saw the police officer in a car parked across the street right in front of Sans' car. He looked left and right, then sprung from his car, casually walking across the street to you and Papyrus. You have a feeling this breaks protocol, but you're not sure in any way, shape, or form, so you're not gonna mention it. 

The man was dressed in 'normal' clothes to fit in with the area, and if you hadn't known he'd be out here, you'd think he's just a random citizen. He's around 5'6", has olive skin, brown eyes, and very dark brown—almost black hair. 

"Hey, you two. Uh, I'm the-oh, you know, don't you?" He started, a bit shy at first. "yeah, we do, but ya go ahead and tell us what ya gotta, bud." Papyrus replied, then the officer nodded, dipping his head. "Grazie... Upon request, Detective Smith and Detective Lin have sent an undercover officer to stay at Muffet's for the day. So, don't be concerned if you see someone random lurking in the corner while you work." He explained and you nodded. "Got you, isn't this a lot though? With all the surveillance and protection?" You questioned and the officer shook his head. "Not at all, ma'am. Mr. Ricardo is dangerous, very dangerous. We must take all precautions to keep you, and the rest of civilization safe from him." He explained and you nodded. "Oh, alright. I understand. Thank you all for everything you're doing. You have a nice day now, alright?" You spoke to him and he smiled genuinely, reaching out shaking both yours and Papyrus' hands. "Of course, same to you and to you as well, sir. Ciao!" The cop once again spoke before turning and walking away. And with that, you and Papyrus continued your walk once again.

After a short distance, he suddenly changed the path once out of view and went into an alleyway. He took your hand gently, then nodded with a grin "hold on to ya butts." He joked, then suddenly, you began to feel the familiar feeling of his 'shortcuts'. Not wanting to see what happens within them, you squeezed your eyes shut tightly. Within a few seconds though, you felt the ground underneath your feet again. Even if it'd not been gone long, you'd surely missed it. Your eyes snapped back open, then you looked back to Papyrus. You've never seen such a shit-eating grin on his face before in your time knowing him. "ya always gonna do that, (y\n)?" He snickered jokingly, removing his skeletal hand from your grasp and giving you a playful nudge. "I honestly don't wanna know what you're doing, and where you're going." You responded with a laugh, rolling your eyes. 

"but, oh, sweet (y\n). it's merely a shortcut? what is there to see?" He teased, looking down at you in a humored manner. "That's the thing, I don't know, and I don't wanna know." You replied and he snorted, patting your back gently before beginning to walk forward. "oh well. i guess only i get to see the wonderful land of mozlania." He spoke, huffing as he walked further from you. Your eyebrows furrowed, then your head cocked to the side as you ran after him, approaching the door to Muffet's. "The what?" You asked in confusion, then he let out a raspy chuckle, opening the door for you. "guess you'll have to keep your eyes open to find out sometime, huh?" He remarked and you rolled your eyes again. After all, he's probably just making shit up. 

"Oh! Hello there, dearies! Welcome back to Muffet's!" Muffet spoke excitedly from behind the checkout. "Hi, Miss Muffet! Glad to see you!" You replied, waving as you walked in, going straight to the counter since nobody was there at the present moment. Though, a few people sat around the café. Only around 5 at the present moment though. 

Papyrus followed after you, and was soon by your side, smiling to Muffet. "'mornin, muffet. bet you're glad ta see me back so soon, ey?" He winked and Muffet thought for a moment. "That's debatable, Papyrus. I do enjoy your presence but you are very past due paying your tab." Muffet spoke, crossing all of her arms. "And that's why I'm at least paying for his meal today." You interrupted their playful-slightly truthful bicker and Muffet suddenly smiled again, clapping her hands. "Wonderful! What can I get you, dearie?" She asked and you brightened your smile. You're so ready to order. "May I get a (f\d) and a (f\f) Spider Muffin?" You asked and she nodded, smiling as she pushed the orders in, then she looked to Papyrus. "Papyrus? How about you, dearie?" She asked and he sighed, realizing he'd lost against you already. "i'll have a blueberry spider bagel with cream cheese, and a caffè macchiato... with a touch of honey in it." Papyrus spoke, pausing a second until adding the second part. "Oh, well, I was proud of you for a moment, Papyrus. That'll be $16.64." She spoke and you whipped out your wallet, handing her a $20 bill. "Keep the change, donate it to that charity jar if you'd like." You responded and she nodded. "Will do, thank you! We'll have your food done in a minute!" She chirped before rolling away to start making the drinks. 

You and Papyrus took this opportunity to pick a table, so you walked side-by-side and picked one on the left side of the restaurant. You both sat down across from each other and just chatted back and forth until Muffet wheeled over with your drinks and food. "I threw in a cookie for free, and, Papyrus, make sure you don't eat it all this time." She spoke as she handed out the foods and drinks. "Oh, that's so nice, Muffet! Thank you! And, is that something Papyrus does often?" You asked, sliding over your drink and taking a sip of it. Muffet nodded, "Especially his brother's. When Sans last came with him, I gave him a cookie. By the time he got around to eating it, it was gone. Just crumbs remained." Muffet responded, then looked at Papyrus in a judging manner. He held up his hands, chuckling. "that's brotherly love, ain't it?" He asked and you and Muffet shook your heads. You couldn't help but giggle but Muffet looked anything but humored. "No. That is the furthest thing from 'brotherly love', dearie." Muffet huffed as she shook her finger at Papyrus. But, she soon let out a gentle sigh and stepped back. "No eating the entire cookie, Papyrus. I'll be over here if you need me to whack him with a baking sheet, (Y\N)." She continued before taking a step back, then quickly rolling away to serve the other customers. 

"welp, we got about 25 minutes, so let's chow down, shall we? you may wanna keep that cookie with you before i take matters into my own hands." Papyrus spoke with a wink and you took the cookie protectively, holding it against your shirt. "This is my baby now. Don't you dare touch him, Cookie Monster." You spoke as you slid it into your shirt pocket slowly. "om-nom-nom!" Papyrus teased you as he acted like he was the actual Cookie Monster. You shook your head at this, then giggled again. "You're a handful." You remarked and he grinned from 'ear hole to ear hole'. "in that case, thanks for keeping up with me, honey." He thanked you softly and you gave him a gentle nod. After that, you and him just enjoyed your breakfast together peacefully. 

\---------------------------------------------

After you and Papyrus had finished up breakfast, you both said your goodbyes and after a nice bear hug, he was on his way to get ready for work and you headed into the back. After putting on your apron and Heelys, you clocked in and headed to the register.

You could spot the undercover officer in the corner of the café. She was perfect for the part of seeming like a normal citizen as well. She had a laptop and an iced coffee with her, making her seem like an aspiring author using the free WiFi at Muffet's. She's dressed in dark wash skinny jeans, a loose black blouse, black ankle boots, and has a black winter coat draped against the back of her chair. As for the rest of her appearance, she has medium-dark skin, beautiful long black hair, and an absolutely wonderful smile. 

But, before you can spot anything else about her, suddenly the door of the café opens and you turn your head too see your first customer of the day...Er- make that customers. One is a face you recognize, it's Cobalt from earlier this week. But this time he isn't with Tobias. He's with... another man? This man is around 5'10", so shorter than his comrade, but he's not small like Cobalt, he is very muscular. It's clear he must work out a lot of the time. He has his brown hair done up in a messy quiff, brown stubble, and as he approaches the counter, you see his eyes. They're strikingly blue, almost exact to Cobalt's well—cobalt eyes. He smiles at you politely as Cobalt stands beside him, a bit anxious but not as anxious as the last time you saw him. 

"Good morning, ma'am. May I have a cup of hot coffee with just a bit of sugar and cream? Oh, and a bowl of Cinnamon Spider Oatmeal?" He asked and you nodded, smiling to Cobalt. "And you, Mr. Cobalt?" You asked him and his guest furrowed his thick eyebrows, apparently surprised that you know him by name. "Oh, um... May I h-have a latte? That, and two Chocolate Spider Donuts if that's okay?" He asked and you once again nodded. "Of course! That'll be..." You paused, typing all the information into the register. "$19.03" You finished and Cobalt began to pull his wallet from his pocket, but the other guy was faster and pulled his out as fast as lighting. "Miss, don't let my brother here pay, it's my turn." He spoke as he pulled out a debit card. "Oakley, you do this every time. When will it be my turn?" Cobalt asked, crossing his arms. "When you're not my baby brother anymore, Cobester." He replied as he continued to pay. Cobalt just rolled his eyes at this, adjusting his glasses. "But I'll always be-" He began, but Oakley cut him off and turned to him, smiling. "Exactly. You'll always be my lil' bro, so I'll pay as often as I can." He replied, then finished the transaction. He pulled his card from the chip reader, tucking it back in his wallet carefully. "Thank you for your purchase! We'll bring that meal to you stat." You replied then turned around to help Muffet gather everything together. 

The two boys walked away, then sat at a table and you began to fix Cobalt's latte. You thought they'd be brothers, but you didn't really think it was a good possibility until you saw Oakley's eyes. That was the selling point for your theory for sure. 

"Aren't they interesting, huh, dearie?" Muffet suddenly spoke, and you nodded. "For two brothers, they seem to have more dissimilarities than similarities." You remarked and she nodded. "Definitely different, but I can notice their similar features and mannerisms." Muffet pointed out, and you nodded. "Especially those beautiful blue eyes, right?" You asked and she nodded. "Yes. Definitely so." She responded before carrying Oakley's coffee to the counter and you did the same with Cobalt's latte. After that, you both got their food ready and once that all was done, Muffet wheeled it to them. And as she did that, you got distracted thinking about your dream again. It brought an instant frown onto your face. 

Is it possible that was a warning from your own subconscious? Is your crush on him really that bad of a thing? Or, was it just an unfortunate bad dream? You hope the latter hypothesis is the truth, because the more and more you hang out with Papyrus, the more and more you feel the need to tell him your feelings. But, now that this dream has decided to plague your mind, it has made the situation even harder for you. Should you follow your heart, or your subconscious's possible warning? That is a decision you're not quite ready to make just yet. So, you'll try to keep your mind off of it as much as you can for now. Perhaps the correct answer will be revealed to you somehow, but you seriously doubt it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: I'm gonna stop making such long chapters.
> 
> Also me: *writes a 12.1 page, 4,234 word chapter because I wanted to get a lot of crap done in it* 
> 
> Honestly, I need to force myself into following my own rules XD. If I keep writing long chapters like these, I'll never get chapters out. Haha. 
> 
> Speaking of which, I need to let you guys know something. My family and I are adopting a puppy this week, and he's probably going to be a handful for a while... So I'm not exactly sure what my update schedule will be? I'll definitely have less spare time but I can still squeeze writing in at night I'm sure. Only time will tell, to be honest! But, we honestly cannot wait for our little fluffer to become a part of our family officially.
> 
> (also, yes, the name of this chapter's title is an Owl City song)
> 
> Alright, I had fun writing this chapter! Wish more interesting things happened, but I think it was still good and it got me where I needed to be! So, you can hopefully expect the story to get enthralling again soon (if you don't think it is rn). I really love writing for new characters, so I apologize for introducing random minor characters. Oakley already existed though since he's an OC of mine.
> 
> Almost forgot, but I wanted to mention this earlier this week, the night I wrote the 'dreams and sleep paralysis are scary' part, I seriously had sleep paralysis for the first time since October?? It was crazy to be honest and I'm still baffled. What are the chances? 
> 
> Anyway, imma go ahead and ask my weekly question. Do you have any fears or phobias? I have a few phobias that I can think of: Trypophobia, Musophobia, and I do have some Acrophobia. Other than that, I'm scared of smaller things that I wouldn't really call phobias. How about you guys?
> 
> Anyway, I've been typing for a long time today, so I'm gonna sign off for now. Thank you guys so much for reading, and I truly hope you enjoyed this chapter! Have a wonderful day\night! Hope to see you again soon-ish! <3


	45. "Carpe Diem"

Ten minutes, ten minutes until you finish work for the day. That means it's 10 till 4:30. You can't wait to get back to your apartment for the day, it's been a long and busy one. Muffet's ended up being very hectic today, though you met a few interesting people. And, luckily, a certain some stalker didn't show up. You're happy, yet disappointed about that at the same time. For you never want to see him again, but if he had showed up, the officer would have definitely caught him. But, you hold faith in the law enforcement officers. They'll bring that creep to justice as soon as they lay their eyes on him. 

You suddenly heard the bell on the door of Muffet's chime, signalling it'd been opened, so you looked up. Business had slowed down, so Muffet moved to the back for a while and you served the few customers who came around. But, whoever just walked in is the only customer in the store presently... Other than the police officer, of course. 

As soon as your eyes made direct contact with the figure walking into the store, you blinked in confusion. "Aha! Hello, there! You must be (Y\N). Aren't you absolutely charming?" The new face spoke, but as you focused on who this could be, it clicked in your head. With the flamboyant cyan blue suit, and tall orange flames radiating off of him, you realized this must be Grillby. Muffet's possible crush and\or significant other. 

"Oh, hello there, sir! I am in fact (Y\N). It's a pleasure to meet you!" You spoke as he walked to the counter. You extended your hand for him to shake, but as he took it, he brought it to his lips and kissed it gently. His lips weren't hot, just warm to the touch. "Ah it's great to finally meet you." He spoke, gently letting go of your hand. You didn't really know how to respond to that, so you just smiled awkwardly as you pressed your hand against your side. 

"You know, Miss Muffet has mentioned you a lot! She's very fond of you, I can assure you of that." He continued on and you nodded. "That's wonderful! I'm very fond of her myself! She's a lovely woman, and a fantastic boss. Now," You leaned against the counter, grinning, "Are you quite fond of Miss Muffet too, sir?" you questioned with a devious smirk. His cheeks turned a faint pink as his flames suddenly rose a bit. "O-oh-" He stuttered, then pulled on the collar of his dress shirt nervously. "Hoo, boy. Well, I suppose so? But, I have remained fond of her even when she and I were both underground. Despite we were business rivals and such, I always appreciated how she ran her diner and how she was able to get so much g without putting her prices up too high." He admitted and you let out a sound of understanding. "Ah, I see. She had a diner last?" You suddenly realized and Grillby nodded. "Yeah, she had a diner that served mostly sweet pastries and such! It's building is in the underground still, you should check it out sometime! Maybe the jukebox works now." He joked, clearly jabbing at her even if she wasn't there. Apparently a slight competitive rivalry still remains, but it seems to be mostly lighthearted now.

"Well, sir, what kind of stuff did you sell?" You asked and he leaned on one hip, adjusting his swirled glasses. "Ah, I had my own area in the underground where I served alcoholic drinks, burgers, fries, exciting stuff like that! Though, I was much less affordable than Muffet's." He admitted and you hummed. "Well, it amazing that you two ended up becoming best buds, huh?" You spoke and he nodded ecstatically. "Yes! Definitely! She really made me fall in love with sweets and teas, and well, other things as well!" He chuckled, then reached in one of the pockets of his dress pants, pulling out two candies, handing one to you, and keeping one for himself. "Strawberry peppermint patties, one of my favorites. You should give it a try!" Grillby spoke, smiling. But, as you began to try and open it, he winked. "But that'll be $25." He added and you looked at him, studying his face, your eyebrows furrowing. "Yeah...  I'm good, thank you for the offer though." You replied, then slid it back against the counter and he chuckled. "Oh well~ More for me then, poppet." He spoke, grinning as he tossed his piece of candy into his mouth, sliding the other back into his pocket. 

"So, uh, sir-" You began, but he cut you off, adjusting his cropped blazer. "You can call me Grillby." He interrupted, then you lifted a single eyebrow. "Oh, do I need to pay $25 dollars for that too, sir?" You asked as you threw shade at him. His face turned blank immediately, making you question if that remark was an okay idea or not. He stayed silent for a bit, then suddenly burst out laughing. "Aren't you an absolute hoot?! I adore you already!" He remarked, smiling as he finished up laughing. He soon pulled the candy from his pocket again, sliding it over. "Take it, you deserve it for standing up to me." He spoke, and you nodded, then smiled. "So, did you need anything to eat or drink, Grillby?" You asked, tucking the candy into the pocket of your apron. 

Grillby looked up, observing the menu, then shook his head as he looked back down to you. "No, no. I think I'm quite alright, thank you though! I am going to go say hello to Miss Muffet now, so don't mind me." He responded, stepping away from the counter before waving gently. You waved in return, "Goodbye for now, Grillby!" You spoke, then he nodded and said one more goodbye before disappearing into the back. 

Well, at least now you only have 3 minutes left. Perhaps you can tidy up a bit before grabbing your stuff and bolting outside for the day. 

\---------------------------------------------

After cleaning up some, fixing yourself a nice warm cup of hot chocolate, and getting your stuff, you were headed out the door of Muffet's. Maia said she was with Asgore, so you'd have the apartment to yourself. That's okay though. After all, perhaps going back to drawing Mrs. Agatha's cat would be a good thing to help you wind down. 

You continued to walk down the streets of Mt. Ebott in the pleasant weather. It was a bit busier than you'd like to walk in, but it works. Occasionally, you'd take a nice sip of your hot cocoa and it was absolutely delicious. 

But, when you'd finally settled into your walk, being cautious, but not too cautious, your phone buzzed in your pocket. With curiosity, you stopped and pulled out your phone to see. Oh, a new text from Papyrus? That's exciting. With giddiness and curiosity, you swiped it open to see what he wrote you. 

"hey, sorry for botherin' ya, but sans left my toothbrush, toothpaste, and phone charger at your place. i know it's a lot to ask, but can ya bring that stuff over?" He asked and you sighed. There goes your happy fun time alone from others. But, you're nice and since he's walked you places, and seemingly teleported you back and forth all week. He deserves a kind deed in return, so, with hesitance, you reply to his text. 

"Hey, Papy! You're not bothering me at all. I'll be there in about 20-30 minutes. Just gotta run by the apartment and grab them." You replied as you continued walking. Then, you put your phone into your pocket again as you neared a crosswalk. Pausing at the crosswalk, you turned your head to see a street vender. He was a tan cat with a happy smile on his face. He leaned against his cart with pride as he awaited his next customer. Written on his cart was that he apparently serves burgers. And as it was your turn to walk, you walked across the street and he waved. Being polite, you smiled and returned the wave before walking past. You weren't in the mood for street vender food today. So, you just took another sip of your drink. 

After another few minutes of walking, you walked up to your apartment and walked right up to the door. You wasted no time as you slid your keys into the lock, opening the door. And after that, you jogged up to your floor and as you approached your door, you saw them— Mrs. Agatha left you more cookies apparently. Bless her. 

You picked up the plastic baggie of cookies, observing it. Ah, they're Chocolate chunk. Oh, and she left a message! "I've noticed you've had friends over recently, (Y\N), so I decided to make you all come cookies! Please do share them, dear. And, I hope they like them!" She wrote and you smiled. She's so absolutely pure. You'll have to bring Papyrus and Sans a cookie now. 

You opened your apartment door, only to be greeted with the mess that last night's gathering had caused. "Well, damn. I guess I gotta come home and clean this." You groaned as you closed the door, putting your stuff down on the nearest table. But, you soon stopped moping around and began running around your house, doing everything you needed to do before heading out again. 

That included getting Sans and Papyrus cookies, finding Papyrus' things, packing his things, then getting your regular bag again. Once you were done, you put everything in your bag and then downed the rest of your hot cocoa. And, after that, you exited your apartment, went down the stairs until you were out the door, then set out on the sidewalk to make it to Papyrus and Sans' house. At least it'll be fun to see them both again. 

Since it's nearing 5:00 PM, the traffic is absolutely crazy and car after car pass by on the road. So, you make sure to take your time. But, that's not a bad thing. After all, the more popular the area, the less you have to worry about Austin sneaking out of the shadows to try and get revenge. 

Anyway, after a while of walking, you got to their street and began to scan the area around it. Then, you saw Stripes. She was padding along the sidewalk once again. She really gets around, doesn't she? 

The small cat turned to see you, then quickly dashed into a bush nervously. What a scaredy cat. You waved at her gently as you paused. And, much to your surprise, she popped her head out of the bush, then her paw made its way out too and she waved back. This baffled you, but you just laughed, smiling. She's an absolute cutie.

But, not wanting to get focused on trifling matters, you started walking again until you got to their house. It's just as beautiful now as ever in the fading orange sunlight. In such a beautiful moment, you're tempted to step back and take a photo, but as picturesque as it is, it's best to hurry inside to make it home quickly. And, if you're lucky, Papyrus will assist you in getting home at a reasonable time. 

So, you strolled forward, trudging up the steps before making your way to the door. You planted a nice, heavy knock, then you waited, and waited... But nobody answered. So, you knocked again, smiling as you stood there. But, no voice called, and neither brother came to open it. Maybe they didn't hear you? Oh, well. 

You placed your hand on the doorknob, and as you turned it, the door actually opened. Confused, you ran a hand through your (h\c) hair. You even began to grow a bit worried. What if this is a trap set up by Austin? In the thought of such a possibility, you took a step back on the porch. "Hey, Papyrus? Sans?" You called, looking around the living room. But, everything looked normal and the atmosphere felt as welcoming as ever, so despite your small anxieties, you strolled inside and shut the door behind you.  "Papyrus, Sans! I'm here!" You called again as you stepped further into the house. Still, nothing. Just silence. 

But, as you walked further into the living room, you realized the main light wasn't on, just a few lamps set across the room. Maybe nobody's home and Papyrus left the door open for you to drop his things off? You're not quite sure, so you quickly separate his things from your own, then set them onto the floor. And as you prepare to call the brother's names again, you pause and see something—Papyrus' orange hoodie just laying against the back of the couch. This made you furrow your eyebrows. Doesn't he like, hardly take this off? Why is it just sitting here? After all, one of his idiosyncrasies is wearing this fluffy orange hoodie. 

With interest, and a tad bit of nosiness, you sauntered over to the couch and picked up the soft hoodie. It looks fresh and clean. And, as you look at it closer and closer, your temptation to put it on grows. So, you dropped your backpack onto the ground, called out "Papyrus? Sans?" again, then looked around. When no one showed up, you shrugged and shook out his hoodie, then slid it over your head. As you slid your hands into the sleeves, they ended up being too long and the arms of the hoodie go quite a bit from your fingers. And, as you lower the hood and fix your hair, your hypothesis is confirmed. His hoodie is just as soft, comfortable and warm on the inside as you'd expected. It's so cozy and roomy. And, after wishing and wanting to try on one of his hoodies for longer than you probably should have, you were finally doing it, and it felt glorious. 

Due to the size differences between you and him, it's long and very baggy against your clothes. Perhaps it's almost long enough to wear as a dress? You're not quite sure, but it's cute nonetheless. 

But, as you stand there, fixing the hoodie strings so that they hang straight, you hear a floorboard creak. You instantly turn to see the origin of the noise, and your heart partially sinks as you see Papyrus standing there, just staring at you. He's merely dressed in a tight black tank top and his cargo shorts. 

An awkward silence ensued, Papyrus seemed to be blushing a light orange, and you could feel your cheeks growing warmer by the second. Damn, this is embarrassing. 

"I can expla–" You began, but he cut you off as he began to walk closer, his white pinpricks focused on you intently. "ya know, you look cute in orange. ya should wear it more often." He rasped, his voice full of an unusual charming tone. This made you blush even harder. "O-oh... T-thanks?" You replied nervously, playing with the sleeves of his hoodie and he grinned gently. This made your heart pound inside of your chest. 

He walked closer, pausing in front of you. "damn, if only you could see yourself right now..." He spoke, trailing off as his body seemed to grow tense. Papyrus' breathing was heavier than normal. He seemed to be holding something back. "P-Papy? What does that mean?" You questioned, furrowing your eyebrows in confusion. This whole situation is weird. Really weird, but he takes a deep breath and replies. "jeez (y\n), you're so fucking hot!" He practically growled and your cheeks instantly flushed a deep red. But, before you could reply, Papyrus took a hold of you gently, and as quick as a flash, he seemingly teleported you against the wall and pressed his hands on either side of you. And, next thing you knew, he leaned down and pressed his teeth against your lips softly. Your eyes open wide in surprise and your heart is beating a hundred miles an hour. As the kiss progresses, you close your (e\c) eyes and kiss him back with such passion and intimacy, and he matches it gladly. 

Your face is growing redder and redder by the second, but you don't want to part, you've wanted this for so long, and finally, it's happening! Papyrus actually likes you back! Your dream was all just a bunch of bullshit! You should've known, but you got too concerned with weird theories that you might've gone weeks or months without confessing your feelings to him.

At some point during the kiss, Papyrus wrapped his arms around your waist and you wrapped yours around his shoulders the best you could. Oh, stars, he's so attractive! 

After quite the first kiss, Papyrus pulls away, then looks to the side. "oh, god i am so sorry... i shouldn't have rushed in like that and i should've asked. I don't know what was up with me." He apologized in embarrassment, his cheeks a bright orange. "What? Why are you apologizing?" You asked, quite surprised. "i let my emotions get the best of me, you might not even like me back the way i like you i-" He explained quietly, but, just as he had done to you earlier, you gladly cut him off and grabbed him by the tank top. His pinpricks grew wide at this, and you pulled him forward as you stood on your tip-toes, pressing your mouths back together again. You wrapped your arms around his neck, deepening the kiss as he seemed to relax into it again. But, this time you didn't make it as long, you soon pulled away, moving your arms down before looking up to face him. 

"Don't apologize, Papyrus, I wanted, and yearned for that kiss just as much as you did..." You spoke softly, then reached forward and took his hand into your own. "ya really mean it? i mean, i'm me... and well, you're you." He spoke, nearly jumbling his words together. "Yeah? Well, you're the greatest guy I know, and I love you, Papyrus." You responded. This took him off guard, almost as if he didn't really expect you to like him that much. "oh, gosh..." Papyrus blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "dammit, i love ya too, (y\n). every day i just can't stop thinking about ya, and i've wanted to tell you so badly." He spoke softly.

You gently rubbed your thumb against his bony hand. "Vise versa." You replied. "My dream last night actually was about you rejecting me because of my past mistakes." You admitted and he furrowed his 'bone'brows. "really? that explains why you seemed so insistent on getting away from me this mornin'." He realized and you nodded. "Sorry about that, Papy..." You apologized, then looked to the side. 

"hey, i guess i should explain why i just kinda... kissed ya." Papyrus murmured and you raised an eyebrow, looking to him. "I thought it was because-" He cut you off again, then shook his head. "well of course that was the reason i kissed ya, but back when you and i got interviewed by the police, the shit-stick-" He paused, "mr. smith urged me to confess before it was too late. he told me to tell ya, or just kiss ya or somethin'." He explained, then you cocked your head to the side. "Before it was too late? What was he going to do? Take me for himself?" You asked, confused, he chuckled, grinning. "hopefully not, but if he woulda tried, he would've had a bad time." Papyrus snickered, and you giggled slightly. "I'm surprised you took his relationship advice." You pointed out and he nodded. "me too, but when everything else fails and you freeze up and can't find the right words in the moment, just... go the smith way, i guess? damn, that makes me feel dirty just saying it." He laughed more and you joined him. 

And after that, you looked up into his warm gaze and smiled. He's so cute when he's happy. His pinpricks are just filled with so much light and they practically twinkle as he returns your ecstatic look. 

Knowing you don't have to hold back anymore, you quickly pull him into a big bear hug and he hugs you back happily. Well, this was certainly a strange change of events, but as your face lays against his bony chest, you are so glad that it finally happened and you begin to wonder what'll happen next. Perhaps you'll have to wait and see, but as life seems to be taking a new turn, you're thankful that you have all your friends and Papyrus by your side. They're just the people you need in a wonderful time like this. Sometimes you have to live in the moment and not worry about what the future holds. Carpe Diem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I have managed to write a chapter very quickly! X'D I knew what was coming up, I've known for ages and I was so excited that I got a burst of inspiration and energy to write it. I was so determined to get this out by the end of Valentine's Day that I stayed up past 3:00 AM last night in order to get more progress made. So, eyyy, Happy Valentine's Day from me! I've had this scene planned out for literal months(or a year)!
> 
> I really hope you enjoyed this very special chapter! I had a blast writing it, but imma be honest, I was super confident with the idea in my head, but as I put it into words for the first time, I got increasingly anxious about the confession and kiss. I almost stopped multiple times because I thought maybe I should wait longer, or, maybe I was writing it out badly. But, I have a feeling I'm being overly anxious about it, so I do hope you guys love this chapter! I would be so happy if you do!
> 
> No, the story isn't over either so don't worry about that. I still have a lot I wanna do, so don't fear, the story ain't over yet! I have more steam left in me, haha. 
> 
> Also, I've never frickin written for Underswap Grillby before so I hope that interpretation was okay! My research on him wasn't super successful, so I kinda had to mash a lot of what I saw together to make what I imagine he'd act like. 
> 
> Anyway, here's your annual chapter question! And, this one is slightly Valentine's themed! What's your favorite romance related song? I think mine may have to be "Let Me Down Easy" by Max Frost... Yes, that's a breakup song but it's still beautiful. I also love "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Elvis! If you'd like, comment below what your favorite is! I'm curious tbh. :3
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day\night! <3


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